Abstract
The incidence and success of those women who deliver AGA premature infants with BW ≤ 2000 gm and who wish to breast-feed (BF) their infants has been studied with a structured interview about infant feeding that was administered to 200 (77%) of 260 consecutive, eligible women within 7 days of delivery and then with a follow-up interview given only to breast-feeders after lactation ceased. III (55.5%) of these women indicated they wished to BF, compared to 84 (47%) who chose to formula-feed and 5 (2.5%) who were undecided at the initial interview. 72 follow-up interviews have been completed. 54 (75%) of these women maintained lactation during their infant's hospitalization, were breast-feeding at their infant's discharge, and continued to BF for 20.7 ± 2.0 wks (M±SE) after discharge. This group was composed of 7 of the 12 women (58%) who had infants with BW ≤ 1000 gm, 12 of the 17 women (71%) who had infants with BW between 1001-1500 gm, and 35 of the 43 women (81%) who had infants with BW between 1501-2000 gm. Also that group was composed of 28 of the 32 women (87.5%) who had infants that were hospitalized for <30 d and 26 of the 40 women (65%) who had infants hospitalized for ≥ 30 d. Of the other 18 women, 9 (12.5%) maintained lactation for some of their infant's hospitalizat ion only (4.0 ± 2.5 wks), and 9 (12.5%) failed to establish effective lactation. Therefore, in a supportive environment, lactation and breastfeeding can be successfully maintained in mothers of premature infants during and after the infant's hospitalization.
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Ehrenkranz, R., Ackerman, B., Mezger, J. et al. 530 BREAST-FEEDING AND PREMATURE INFANTS: INCIDENCE AND SUCCESS. Pediatr Res 19, 199 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00560
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00560
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