Premature or Low Birth Weight
Premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks.
Babies who are born early are often born with a low birth weight - less than 5½ pounds.
The good news is human milk has been shown to help premature babies grow and stay healthy!
Help your premature or low birth weight baby benefit from your milk:
- Use hand expression to express your colostrum for your baby ASAP
- Talk to the hospital staff about renting an electric pump
- Call your insurance company or local WIC office to find out if you are eligible for a breast pump
- Pump milk as often as you would normally breastfeed — about eight times in a 24-hour period
- If you leave the hospital before your baby, express milk for hospital staff to give your baby
Once your baby is ready to breastfeed directly:
- Be sure to work with a lactation consultant on proper latch and positioning
- Give your baby skin-to-skin contact
- - This can be very calming and a great start to your first feeding