Many mothers of premature babies are scared to breast-feed, given the child's delicate condition, but doctors are trying to change this with strategies ranging from free breast pumps to implementing breast-feeding "peer counselors" into intensive care units to train new mothers how to nurse.
The program was implemented after recent studies show breast milk significantly lowers the risks of infection and a life-threatening bowel inflammation, prone to many low birthweight babies.
At Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago, 97 percent of the smallest premature babies are breast-fed; this is a far greater number than the national average for healthy babies.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends babies be breast-fed exclusively for the first six months and cites these babies suffer fewer ilnesses like diarrhea, earache and respiratory infections; they are less likely to develop asthma, diabetes, or weight problems later in the future.
Currently, 70 percent of mothers initiate breast-feeding for the first few weeks of life, with only 33 percent breast-feeding for the six months. These numbers result from studies of all birth types and is not exclusive to premature babies.
Mothers must first pump their milk, as tiny babies cannot suckle. The extracted milk is stored and dripped into a stomach tube. As soon as babies are taken off the ventilator, they get their first taste, consisting of only one or two drops, while cradled at the mother's breast.
As their health improves, they learn to suckle, and thus begins regular breast-feeding sessions.
Electric breast pumps can cost $1 to $2 a day to rent, which has prompted some hospitals and health departmens to provide free pumps for low-income mothers.
