Expressions
thoughts and advice on breastfeeding...resources for help

What resources are available to mothers who want to breastfeed their premature babies? Your first sources for help will be the NICU nurses and possibly hospital lactation consultants. In this column, we list books, support groups, and information available on the Internet on breastfeeding preemies.

BOOKS

Three books that are generally available in most bookstores:

• "What to Expect The First Year" by Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi E. Murkoff, and Sandee E. Hathaway (1994). ISBN: 1563058766 The "Low Birthweight Baby" chapter has some information on pumping and breastfeeding.

• "Nursing Mother's Companion" by Kathleen Huggins (1995). ISBN: 1558321055 Good general breastfeeding book with some information on pumping, positioning, supplementing, and increasing supply.

• "The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding" by La Leche League (1997). ISBN: 0452279089 In addition to general breastfeeding information, they also describe manual expression of milk, which may be a useful alternative to using an electric pump.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Note: when contacting these groups with questions it is useful to inquire if the leaders have experience with working with preemies. Also, individual chapters may be more or less supportive and knowledgeable about problems associated with breastfeeding preemies (i.e. prolonged pumping without nursing, limited milk supply).

• La Leche League   

The oldest and best-known breastfeeding support group in the United States (now international). La Leche League International, an international, nonprofit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to providing education, information, support, and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed. All breastfeeding mothers, as well as future breastfeeding mothers, are welcome to come to our free meetings or call our Leaders for breastfeeding help. We also provide health care professionals with continuing education opportunities and the latest research on lactation management.

Website:     http://www.lalecheleague.org/
Website for preemies:     http://www.lalecheleague.org/bfprem.html
Contact information:     http://www.lalecheleague.org/contactinfo.html