Pages - Menu

Feeding Premature Babies Using Breast Milk

By Annabelle Holman


Premature babies are very delicate and they need extra care to survive. Their organs are not usually well developed therefore it is not possible to take food like normal children. Feeding premature babies is not easy because their digestive system may not be fully developed. The doctors may think the baby is mature enough to be taken home or use some methods that help to add fluids and nutrients to the child.

The preterm can have milk introduced to them in a gradual manner. This is however only allowed after a doctor has allowed it to be done. The baby can have a problem with the absorption of nutrients in the milk therefore the process should not be done too quickly or too slowly.

The kids who are born early have problems absorbing the nutrients from milk. They can therefore be fed some dietary supplements that will enhance their growth. There are also some nutrients that newborns receive during the last stages of pregnancy but the ones born early miss out on them. The supplements can therefore help in giving them the nutrients they lack.

There are different approaches that are usually used to feed the preterm babies. One of them is through the use of an IV line which is a tube that goes straight to the stomach of the baby and it adds the required nutrients straight into the blood stream. The process is usually done for a few hours to a few days depending on the prematurity of the baby.

There are babies who are however born when they are mature enough to digest food but they cannot co-ordinate the sucking, breathing and swallowing of milk during breast feeding. This is done with the use of a soft tube that is directed to the stomach through the nose or the mouth. It is done until the baby learns to suckle milk.

However, giving birth to a baby prematurely should not be a reason for a mother to stop producing milk. The stress and fatigue that comes with these newborns can affect the milk production in a woman. This will affect the baby when they are mature enough to start feeding on milk. It is therefore important to exercise patience and boost your health as you wait for the baby to grow.

Breast milk is the best kind of food newborns can have and it is highly recommended by neonatologists. The milk usually has enough nutrients to improve their health and build strength and also protects them from viruses and bacteria. It normally contains antibodies that enhance the immunity of the child. It is also easy to digest compared to baby formula.

If breast milk is not utilized for a while, it usually dries up. A mother who is waiting for their baby to mature so that they can breast feed can always get make sure they always have milk by having the child practice suckling. Some of them achieve this by just cuddling the kid.




About the Author:



0 comments:

Post a Comment