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Early pumping frequency and coming to volume for mother’s own milk feeding in hospitalized infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 43, pages 629–634 (2023)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objective

To identify daily pumping frequencies associated with coming to volume (CTV: producing > 500 milliliters of milk per day by postnatal day 14) for mothers of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Study design

We compared demographics and daily pumping frequencies for mothers who did and did not experience CTV.

Results

Of 427 mothers who produced milk, 201 (50.1%) experienced CTV. Race, insurance, delivery type and birthweight were associated with CTV. For mothers who experienced CTV, average pumping episodes increased daily, stabilizing at 5 pumping episodes per day by postnatal day 5 (5 × 5). Women who experienced CTV were also more likely to have pumped between 0100 and 0500 (AM pumping). In multivariable analysis birthweight, 5 × 5 and AM pumping were each independently associated with CTV.

Conclusion

Supporting mothers of NICU infants to achieve 5 or more daily pumping sessions by postnatal day 5 could improve likelihood of achieving CTV.

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Fig. 1: Consort diagram.
Fig. 2: Pumping episodes per day for mothers achieving CTV and those not achieving CTV.

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge and thank Lusia Li and Rick Pittman for their significant help with data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Durham, NC, USA

    Deesha D. Mago-Shah, Kamlesh Athavale, Kimberley Fisher, Elizabeth Heyward, David Tanaka & C. Michael Cotten

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  1. Deesha D. Mago-Shah
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  2. Kamlesh Athavale
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  3. Kimberley Fisher
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Contributions

DMS conceptualized this study with co-authors, synthesized tables and charts, drafted original manuscript, and prepared and submitted final manuscript. KA reviewed and edited manuscript drafts. KF reviewed and edited manuscript drafts. EH reviewed and edited manuscript drafts. DT conceptualized this study with co-authors, performed data extraction, performed data analysis, synthesized tables and charts, and reviewed and edited manuscript drafts. CMC conceptualized this study with co-authors, synthesized tables and charts, drafted the original manuscript, and reviewed and edited manuscript drafts.

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Correspondence to Deesha D. Mago-Shah.

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Mago-Shah, D.D., Athavale, K., Fisher, K. et al. Early pumping frequency and coming to volume for mother’s own milk feeding in hospitalized infants. J Perinatol 43, 629–634 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-023-01662-z

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