Sharing the science on human milk feedings with mothers of very-low-birth-weight infants.
Mother's milk provides protection from serious and costly morbidity for very-low-birth-weight infants (<1500 g), including enteral feeding intolerance, nosocomial infection, and necrotizing enterocolitis. However, NICU and maternity nurses may be hesitant to encourage mothers to initiate lactation because of a reluctance to make mothers feel guilty or coerced. This article reviews the evidence for the health outcomes of mothers' milk feeding in very-low-birth-weight infants and provides examples of ways to share this science with mothers so that they can make an informed feeding decision.
Rodriguez
Nancy A
NA
Infant Special Care Unit Evanston Hospital, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare, 2650 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201, USA. nrodriguez@enh.org
Miracle
Donna J
DJ
Meier
Paula P
PP
D001942:Breast Feeding; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D008297:Male; D017283:Neonatal Nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity