Please select your city
Popular Cities
Categories
Cities
How to breastfeed a premature baby?
0-2
Breastfeeding acts as a shield to safeguard premature babies from health problems and other issues. Mother’s milk is very important for the baby. If the baby is premature and accepts the mother’s milk well, it helps in reducing infection, NEC (gut gangrene), quick recovery and helps in getting an early discharge.
Premature babies, particularly who are not up to 33 weeks old, are not able to coordinate breathing, sucking and swallowing. Therefore, mothers have to pump their breastmilk for feeding the baby.
Since the baby's birth, mothers should start storing breastmilk by extracting it. Firstly, within the first hour and then every 2-4 hours. Emotional and psychological instability of the mother is possible. But, adequate antenatal counselling and support of loved ones can help her here.
Also Read | Queries related to breastmilk storage
Kangaroo mother care technique should be used by mothers to ensure the overall development of the baby. After the baby is more than 34 weeks then, the mother can gradually try breastfeeding them.
