Breastfeeding preterm infants

The WHO identifies that preterm births contribute to a significantly high number of children under 5 years deaths. In 2015, 1 million deaths were associated with prematurity. Many children who survive preterm labor develop life term disabilities such as learning disabilities, visual and hearing disabilities (WHO). The clinical questions: Is breastfeeding improvement in premature babies essential in attaining health and economic benefits both for the mother and child compared to supplemental feeding? The survival of preterm babies is staked on their management of breathing, prevention of infection, warmth, and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is known to have optimal benefits for the infants and their mothers and recommended as the sole source of nutrition for all infants up o the age of six months. The research established that there were more mothers to preterm infants who preferred participating in kangaroo care.

There were more first-time mothers participating in the kangaroo care intervention and the Auditory, Tactile, Visual, and Vestibular Intervention (ATVV) groups compared to participation in the information group. The study established that mothers from the three groups (Kangaroo, ATVV and information group) were equally as likely to have offered milk to their infant during the period of hospitalization. Breastfeeding of the premature infant after hospitalization was recorded in 29. 7 percent of the mothers from whom post discharge breastfeeding data had been established. The community-based support can be derived from various sources or a mix of the sources such as lactation consultants, lactational support in health centers, the use of hospital-grade pumps and scales which help the mother to measure the amount the baby takes in from active at breastfeeding, peer support and lactation support groups in health departments.

Triple feeding was from the case study identified as a successful strategy in prolonging breastfeeding for the late preterm infant, however, the intervention was considerably more tasking for the mother and the infant, the use of hospital pump-scales to estimate caloric intakes before pumping or bottle feeding was less tasking and less involving for the breastfeeding mother. Triple feeding was described by Cartwright, Atz, Newman, Mueller & Demirci, (2017), as being among the secondary interventions to improving late preterm infant breastfeeding post-hospitalization. The lack of community resources such as those identified by Lucas, Gupton, Holditch-Davis & Brandon, (2013), commonly result in the babies not transitioning to full breastfeeding at full term. Comparing the interventions from Lucas, Gupton, Holditch-Davis & Brandon, (2013),and Tully et al. Casavant, McGrath, Burke & Briere, (2015), in a study to establish breastfeeding for very low birth weight preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The study explored the breastfeeding practices of the mothers and utilized to identify the factors that were associated with breastfeeding post discharge. The study indicated that infants that received their first oral feed on the breast had higher chances of receiving breast milk at discharge. The study informed that targeting for very low birth weight babies to receive their first oral feeding at the breast had best results in the sickest and the smallest of the babies. As an intervention, initial oral feeding at the breast should then be encouraged by nurses to promote feeding at the breast or any breast milk feeding post-hospitalization. The literature presented in the articles can improve understanding of the topic through the comparative outcomes of interventions across different care settings and infant characteristics.

In understanding the topic, the literature informs of not only the different approaches to care but also provides an overarching information on the different outcomes and factors that affect breastfeeding outcomes for the infants. Research is critical in current nursing practice as it informs on interventions that are evidence-based which assist nurses to standardize patient interventions and to choose interventions that have optimal patient outcomes. Research in current nursing practice also places nursing practice relevance in patient care as an important and science-based practice and not only an art. Research grows the nursing body of knowledge as a profession setting it out as a critical profession in the provision of patient interventions. Integrative Review of Interventions to Promote Breastfeeding in the Late Preterm Infant.