Mother's Milk A Lifesaver For Preemies?

(CBS)  Kathie Robinson is thrilled that her daughter Naomi, born 2-1/2 months early, is well enough to be home. But her family isn't complete - yet.

"Here we are, we're still going through the journey," Kathie told CBS News contributing medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

It's been a difficult journey for Naomi's twin brother, Caldwell. He's had three operations and remains in a neo natal intensive care unit. Kathie and her husband Whit believe that giving him breast milk, even through a feeding tube, is helping him recover.

"You can't be there all the time so it was my way to be able to be there for them all the time," Kathy said. "I'm providing for them."

Kathie is part of a new program at UC San Diego Medical Center that encourages mothers of premature babies, even babies who can't swallow, to commit to breastfeeding rather than formula. It's not easy.

"It's hard for them," said Dr. Lisa Stellwagen. "They're sick, they're tired, they're often afraid their baby isn't going to survive."

Only 45 percent of preemies go home on breast milk as compared to 74 percent of full-term babies. Doctors here believe that for babies born weighing only a few ounces, human milk means the difference between life and death.

"The premature infant is experiencing one of the worst nutritional crises in their life," said Dr. Jae Kim.

It's a crisis on two fronts. These tiny babies expend huge amounts of energy fighting life-threatening illnesses while at the same time doctors are desperate for them to gain weight.

"If we were trying to put on the same amount of growth as the smallest premature infants that we're dealing with, it would be something on the order of two or three pounds per day," Dr, Kim said.

Mother's milk may be as important as all the technology in the NICU.

"We're just starting to discover the power of what's in human milk," Dr. Kim said.

So it's good for babies, that's understood. But there's still some mysteries here. For one, not all breast milk is identical, even if that breast milk comes from the same mother.

So part of the program here involves analyzing the nutritional value of each mother's milk - and the results have been surprising.

"We're seeing a lot of variation based on whether she pumps in the morning, or at night, or depending on the day she pumps, we're seeing a 20-30 percent difference in her samples," said Dr. Charles Sauer. "For a preterm baby that can be a big difference."

One huge difference the program has made is a significant decrease in one life-threatening complication of prematurity - a gastrointestinal infection called necrotizing enterocolitis, or NEC. Of the half million premature babies born every year, between 5-10 percent of them develop it and a third of those die.

Before this program started, the rate of NEC in this hospital was 5.8 percent; last year it was less than 1 percent.

"The more human milk they're exposed to, the more reduction in complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis," Dr. Kim said.

Meanwhile, the Robinsons continue to bring breast milk to Caldwell, believing that it will help get him home sooner.

"If there's anything a mother can give to her children it's the nutrition, and support to help them grow and develop," Kathie said. "It just brings everything full circle."

Update: Katie Couric reports that Caldwell has just come home from the hospital, and we are told he and his twin sister Naomi are doing well.

[urbansuckling]

yay. thank you for being on the forefront of accurate breastfeeding reporting. how wonderful and important!

[avababys]

Mother's milk is vital for preemies, and if not provided for by the mom, another mother's milk is the next best thing, at least for the start. It's liquid gold.

There are so many facets of what is crucial for preemie survival and a new non profit organization is aiming at providing financial, lifestyle and moral support to the families of those born prematurely or sick and need intensive care for extended periods. Miracle Babies was founded by a Dr. Sean Daneshmand who delivered both of my preemie grandchildren. The first a little girl named Ava born at 26.5 weeks.

As I personally witnessed, families can be devestated both emotionally and financially by their early arrivals and this is where Miracle Babies hopes to help. The mission statement is outlined on the website so please stop by if you feel you can help. www.miraclebabies.org

[mrscam]

This is a great article, and validates information doctors and scientists have known for years. So why are insurance companies STILL refusing to code human milk as medicine and cover the costs of breastpumps and/or donor breastmilk? The newest research has proven that breastmilk stabilizes the bacteria in the gut of newborns, helping to prevent gastrointestinal illnesses. Formula given to newborn babies does the opposite. For a preemie whose life might very well depend on breastmilk, how can insurance companies continue to refuse this small expense? I don't get it.

[Gina_Ciagne]

Thanks for covering this important story. For preemies, there?s nothing like getting mom?s milk during the first days and weeks of their life. While breastfeeding can be a lifesaver, it's important that new mothers get started right away -- something that can be challenging for preemies (some have difficulty latching on, for example).

I provided advice for successfully breastfeeding preemies on my blog back in March. Rather than repeat myself here, I encourage anyone with an interest in this topic to read this post: http://bymomsformoms.blogspot.com/2009/03/first-few-days-of-breastfeeding.html.

Gina Ciagne, CLC
Director, Breastfeeding and Consumer Relations
Lansinoh Laboratories, Inc.
http://www.bymomsformoms.net

[dsciamanna]

I have been a Neonatologist for almost 30 years in Michigan and watched the story about breast milk and preemes. The drift of the story seems to be that UC San Diego has discovered somethin new. In Michigan and probably at most NICUs breast milk and better outcome for preemes has been common knowledge and applied as often as possible. Better support for mothers who want to nurse has been available for quite a while. Its nice to see that California is catching up with the midwester NICUs.

[KarlaSR]

What a GREAT story! Thank you so much CBS for covering it.

[ergatespenga]

First off, hooray for fellow preemie moms who stuck with it to breastfeed their babies. What a great gift you have given to your precious babies. My daughter was a preemie, too (she was a 25 weeker and spent 119 days in the NICU) and at 19 months of age, she is doing amazingly well, health-wise, and developmentally. She has been breastfeeding and I cannot thank enough of all the supports I got from the NICU staff at Bellflower Kaiser in Southern California, lactation consultants at both Bellflower Kaiser and Harbor City Kaiser, and fellow preemie moms on the La Leche League forum. I just wish all the preemie moms will have both moral supports and professional help they deserve for successful breastfeeding.

Secondly, THANK YOU for CBS to air this program. I hope more follow-up is done on this topic (other benefit of human milk on preemies e.g. ROP, weight gain, etc. obstacles that moms face when tyring to breastfeed, etc.). Also I urge the CBS staff to uncover how "developmental care" and "kangaroo care" help preemies' physiological stability and neurological development. These are fascinating wonders that unfortunately not all the NICUs are practicing.

[hafizkazi]

so wow good to know that u guys now know?we muslims knew this 1600 years ago as revealed by allah(god) to the prophet of islam in the holy koran,where it is mentioned,o ye who believe , verily in the creation of the heavens n the earth n in ur very own creation n bodies,their are sighns for men n women endowed with understanding and knowledge(ameen),so one does not need to look to far with telescopes like hubble n send spaceships to mars n titan to study allahs creation,one only has to look at his own self n he or she will find the sighns of the allmighty.

[nanadinana]

I was the only mom nursing her baby back in November 1969, and a preemie at that!. My OB & my Pedi agreed to let me nurse on-demand exclusively [no suplimental formula, water or pacifer] and when my 17" son weighed 4'14", I was allowed to take him home, much to the chagrin of the nursery nurses! The nurses warned me he would be 'behind' my friends babies, yet he walked at 9 months, was climing out of his crib at 10 months and by a year old was talking 3-4 word sentences [and cut his first tooth at 3 mons]. Today he is a Marine Gulf War Vet , archery champion, avid mountain biker and has two engineering degrees. I was fortunate to have my physicians on my side and ironically, when I had my 2nd son 21/2 years later, several moms were now nursing! I am commenting here as I want moms to remember that your milk is meant for your baby; ignore nay sayers [and I had many, family especially!] and do what is healthy and natural for your preemei! Bless you.

[sean1z]

A woman's breast is a smart method. Products sold in stores could be dangerous. Strange chemicals find a way into processed formula.