Feeding Preterm Baby

Preterm babies need special care and attention. Providing them with breastmilk is the best way to get them to grow faster.

Preterm babies need help to:

1. Gestational age less than 30-32 weeks – Learn finger sucking to improve suckling reflex
2. Gestational age 32 – 34 weeks – Learn to feed through cup and non-nutritive suckling on breast
3. Gestational age 34- 36 weeks – Learn to start direct breastfeeding.

We support the mother and baby for:

1. Understanding suckling and slowing rhythm for effective breastmilk transfer
2. Guiding mother to understand per day breastmilk requirement as per baby weight
3. Helping to increase breastmilk supply through a regular expression schedule and teaching methods of expression to get a higher supply through breast stimulation post expression
4. Gradually weaning express feed or support feeding before establishing direct breastfeeding
5. Closely monitoring and charting the baby on input, output and weight gain per day
6. Encouraging and counseling the mother to gain confidence
7. Connecting mothers of preterm babies to share information and support which increases confidence