If you have a preemie and are considering breastfeeding, a new study may be the final straw to sway your decision. Breast milk can give preemies’ hearts a big boost, a groundbreaking study suggests. For Black women, who are 50% more likely to give birth to a premature baby than white women this is great news that may provide some solace.
“This study … adds to the already known benefits of breast milk for infants born prematurely,” study leader Dr. Afif El-Khuffash, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dublin says.
READ: Why Is The Black Infant Mortality Rate So High?
He says the findings offer the first evidence of a link between early diet in preemies and heart function over the first year of life.
Because preemies’ heart function is significantly lower than that of healthy full-term babies, they are more likely to develop heart problems later in life — including heart disease, heart failure, systemic and pulmonary high blood pressure, the researchers note. They also have a higher risk of death from heart disease.
According to the CDC, Black infants have more than two times the death rate of white women.
This study of 80 preterm infants found that those initially fed only their mother’s breast milk had improved heart function at 1 year of age, and that it approached the level found in healthy full-term babies.
Specifically, preemies who received high amounts of mother’s milk during the first weeks of life had healthier
heart structures and functions and a better heart response to stress at age 1 than preemies who were given higher amounts of formula.
These improvements were apparent before babies left the hospital and persisted up to age 1, according to findings published Aug. 30 in the journal JAMA Network Open.
“Preterm infants have abnormal heart function. However, those who are fed their mother’s own milk demonstrate recovery of their heart function to levels comparable to healthy term-born infants,” El-Khuffash says in a college news release. “Preterm infants fed formula do not demonstrate this recovery.”
READ: Top Signs of Preterm Labor and Coping With Preterm Birth
Breast milk is the best possible nutrient to boost a newborn’s immune system and help him or her fight infection. Premature breast milk is higher in protein and minerals, such as salt, and contains different types of fat that can help your baby more digest and absorb easier.
The fat in human milk also enhances the development of the baby’s brain and neurologic tissues, which is especially important for premature infants.
Once your doctor gives the okay to start breastfeeding your preemie, you should do so frequently to increase your supply. You may opt to use a breast pump in addition to breastfeeding in order to maintain a good supply.
Giving birth to a premature child can cause worry and concern, but with the right care, your infant can maintain the same health as a full-term infant.
For more tips on breastfeeding a premature baby visit healthychildren.org.
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