title: Breastfeeding Patterns in Preterm Infants Born at 28-33 Gestational Weeks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies of breastfeeding patterns during preterm infants' first year of life are scarce but are important for providing breastfeeding mothers of preterm infants with optimal support.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to describe breastfeeding patterns in preterm infants up to 1 year of corrected age.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of a larger study on kangaroo mother care in Sweden, a 24-hour breastfeeding diary was sent home after discharge from hospital, and at 2, 6, and 12 months of the infant's corrected age. Eighty-three mothers responded to the follow-up questionnaires, and the number of respondents to the breastfeeding diary was 48 at discharge, 43 at 2 months, 22 at 6 months, and 8 at 12 months. Infants were born at a median (range) gestational age of 32 (28-33) weeks. Breastfeeding patterns were analyzed according to durations, frequencies per 24 hours, and intervals between sessions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In exclusively breastfed infants, the median (range) breastfeeding session frequency was 14 (8-26) times per 24 hours including 4 (1-9) times per night after discharge (n = 24) and 10 (6-25) times per 24 hours including 2 (0-5) times per night at 2 months (n = 23). In partially breastfed infants, the median (range) frequency was 5 (1-14) times per 24 hours including 2 (0-4) times per night at 6 months (n = 20) and 5.5 (1-12) times per 24 hours including 2 (0-3) times per night at 12 months (n = 8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mothers reported large variations in breastfeeding patterns, with higher median breastfeeding session frequencies than previously described in term infants in affluent settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden paola.oras@kbh.uu.se.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oras
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Ylva Thernström
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Blomqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kerstin Hedberg
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nyqvist
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gradin
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubertsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hellström-Westas
authors.affiliation: Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: Eva-Lotta
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Funkquist
mesh_terms: D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D060127:Kangaroo-Mother Care Method; D008297:Male; D057566:Self Report; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: breastfeeding; feeding behaviour; kangaroo mother care; lactation; newborn