Breastfeeding your premature baby

Advice on breastfeeding your premature baby with information on expressing breastmilk in preperation for later feeding.

Found in:

Premature arrivals > Breastfeeding your premature baby Breastfeeding > Breastfeeding your premature baby

Discuss breastfeeding your premature baby on our forums, right now! Or, post a comment below.

Midwives, nurses and doctors working in a NNICU are all committed to help you achieve breastfeeding if that is your goal. If your baby is unable to suck you will be encouraged to start expressing milk from your breasts as soon as possible to encourage a good milk supply. Then the milk can be kept in the fridge for 24 hours or in the freezer in tiny labelled containers or bags. This takes a lot of commitment but it's very worthwhile.

Breast milk is tailor-made for each baby and breastfeeding is something only you can give your baby.

When the time comes for putting your baby to the breast the midwives will help you with privacy, how to hold your baby and fix her on the breast. Do not be discouraged if your baby does not take much to begin with. Give your baby some expressed breastmilk via the naso-gastric tube, hold her and stroke her and tell her how clever she has been.