A mother of a late-preterm infant visits her physician because she is concerned she does not have adequate milk supply. How does her infant affect her milk supply, and what should the physician recommend to help increase her supply of milk?

Answer 1

Milk production relies on adequate suckling stimulation. Late-preterm infants may not be able to stimulate the breast enough to produce an adequate milk supply. If an infant is not sucking vigorously or the suckling ability is weak, mothers of late-preterm infants should pump after each feeding attempt, or at least every 3 hours, to build the milk supply. A specific feeding plan, including the plan to wake a sleepy infant every 2–4 hours, is recommended to avoid the late-preterm breastfeeding cascade. Mothers and their late-preterm infants should have a feeding assessment by a trained lactation professional who can provide intervention for positioning, potential suck problems, and other breastfeeding issues. Weighing an infant before and after feedings may be useful to determine milk transfer.