Special Needs Kids : Breastfeeding a preemie

The birth of a baby is supposed to be a happy time to celebrate the miracle of bringing a new life into the world. However, for some babies, birth is a precarious situation full of medical interventions to keep them alive. When a full term, healthy baby is born, the mother usually is allowed to attempt breastfeeding almost immediately. That is not the case when a preemie or medically fragile infant is born. Breastfeeding a premature or medically fragile infant is a labor of love in and of itself that requires dedication and hard work. It is not easy, but it sure is worth it

The Breast Pump:

As soon as you know your baby is going to be born, start asking for a lactation consultation and a breast pump. A lactation consultant is a nurse who specializes in teaching new mothers about breastfeeding. At first, your baby will likely not be able to breastfeed the traditional way. Depending on the situation, they may never breastfeed like other babies. This is a very hard fact for some mothers to deal with. However, be encouraged that babies are helped by breast milk no matter how they receive it (directly from the breast, bottle, or via feeding tube). The lactation consultant will teach you how to pump, show you the schedule to use for pumping (every 2 to 3 hours), and will work with you at your baby’s bedside in the NICU to teach you how to feed your baby depending on their situation.
The breast pump will be your best friend and worst enemy. There will be nights where you will wake up and not want to pump and want to throw the pump out the window onto train tracks. Do not get discouraged. Remember to keep eating a balanced diet and to drink plenty of fluids. This is vital for milk supply. If you find that you are having supply issues, there are some tricks you can try. The following are tricks that I have used to boost supply:

• Pumping in the bathroom while running the shower on hot
• Eating oatmeal
• Taking Fenugreek
• Mother’s Milk Tea

Also be sure to talk to your OBGYN because there are medications you can take to boost milk supply. Remember to not be discouraged. Sometimes, you may find that you will have to mix formula with breast milk. If that happens, just keep going. It is not the end of the world. Remember that just getting some breast milk is a good thing.

Admitting defeat:

Look, there are situations where breastfeeding a preemie or medically fragile infant just does not work out. You try your best and for some reason, you are just not getting any milk supply. Your baby was born so early that your body is just not producing. You have other medical issues that make it not an ideal situation and physically cannot breastfeed. You are so stressed by having a sick child that your supply has gone to the dogs. Or, your baby cannot physically tolerate breast milk and it is making them sick. These situations are real and they do happen. And truth be told, they suck. However, it does not make you less of a mother to be in this position. At the very least, you tried. If this happens to you, it is perfectly normal to feel grief over this. Formula was made specifically for these types of situations. As long as the child is getting nutrition, everything will be ok. Just remember that you are not a failure as a parent if your child cannot get breast milk.

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