The Importance of Giving Breast Milk to Premature Babies

Medical Video: Benefits of kangaroo care for you & your baby

Babies born prematurely or babies born before the womb age reaching 37 weeks have the ability and development that are not good compared to babies born quite old. Premature babies are usually immediately placed in an incubator to get further treatment. The ability of premature babies who are still limited and the location of babies far from their mothers are two things that can make it difficult for mothers to give breast milk to their babies.

Can premature babies be breastfed?

Some mothers may have difficulty giving breast milk to their premature baby. However, giving breast milk to premature babies actually has many benefits for babies.

Breast milk or breast milk is the first food a baby needs for every baby. Just like babies born quite old, premature babies also need breast milk as the first energy that enters the body after birth. Important breastfeeding is given to premature babies because breast milk can help the baby's digestive system develop immature and protect it from various infections. Breast milk also contains hormones and growth factors that help the baby's growth. In addition, breast milk can also help the development of the baby's brain.

Breast milk is easier to digest than formula milk. Premature babies who are formula-fed are at risk of being affected necrotising enterocolitis, which is a condition in which part of the intestine experiences necrosis (tissue death). Therefore, premature babies are better given breast milk than formula milk. As much as possible, try to get the baby to receive breast milk as his first meal, even though many things block him.

Pumping breast milk for premature babies

Breastfeeding a premature baby may not be easy to do. Some babies born before the womb age 34 weeks may not be able to suck breast milk from the mother's breast, but he still needs milk. Mother can still give her milk by pumping breast milk and placing it in a milk bottle to drink to her baby.

Pumping breast milk can help smooth the production of mother's milk. The mother should be next to the baby while pumping breast milk. This can make the mother and baby release hormones that encourage the mother's body to produce milk.

Treat breast milk as often as possible, at least 8 to 10 times a day, including once at night. Pumping breast milk regularly helps your body produce breast milk smoothly and prevents your mother from mastitis (infection of the breast). Try not to make a gap between the time of breastfeeding for too long, which is no more than 3 hours during the day and no more than 5-6 hours at night.

The first milk that comes out of the mother's breast or commonly called colostrum has a very rich and necessary nutrient for newborns. It is very good to give baby colostrum immediately after birth because this can facilitate the subsequent production of ASI.

When are premature babies ready to suckle directly in the mother's breast?

Some premature babies may not be able to directly suckle in the mother's breast, they still need help through a milk bottle. This depends on the mother's age when the baby is born and the baby's health.

Wait for the baby to be ready to suckle in the mother's breast. This will take a long time, gradually and slowly. When the baby first suckles in the mother's breast, the baby may not be able to suck the mother's breast properly and the mother will feel pain. However, the mother must be patient, still teach the baby to be able to suckle in the mother's breast.

The kangaroo method might be better than an incubator

There are methods that can help babies suckle breast milk more quickly in the mother's breast. This method is called the kangaroo method. The kangaroo method is carried out by placing the baby in the mother's clothes right on the mother's chest so that the mother's skin directly touches the baby's skin. Babies also don't wear clothes that cover their entire body, only wearing diapers.

The kangaroo method helps babies to suckle in the mother's breast faster and also helps the mother produce more milk. Hugging the baby in the mother's chest and touching the skin with the mother makes the baby warmer and more comfortable, and the contact between the mother's skin and the baby can make a close bond between mother and baby.

Even the kangaroo method is considered better for premature babies compared to premature babies placed in an incubator. Reporting from International Breastfeeding Center, in fact premature babies will be better if skin contact with their mother is compared to being placed in an incubator. Premature babies will have a more stable metabolic system when skin contact with their mother. The method of kangaroos can help baby's breath be more stable, blood pressure is more normal, babies can better regulate their blood sugar levels, and baby's body temperature is more normal.

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