The use of human milk and breastfeeding in premature infants

Human milk is beneficial in the management of premature infants. The benefi cial effects generally relate to improvements in host defenses, digestion, and absorption of nutrients, gastrointestinal function, neurodevelopment, a nd maternal psychological well-being. The use of fortified human milk gener ally provides the premature infant adequate growth, nutrient retention, and biochemical indices of nutritional status when fed at approximately 180 mL /kg/day compared with unfortified human milk. Human milk can only support t he needs of the premature infant if adequate milk volumes are produced. Int ensive efforts at lactation support are desirable. Therefore, neonatal cent ers should encourage the feeding of fortified human milk for premature infa nts along with skin-to-skin contact as a reasonable method to enhance milk production and promote success with early breastfeeding, while potentially facilitating the development of an enteromammary response.