Medela Neonatal Perspectives

The more I speak around the country, the more I become smitten with the immediacy of the moment, and veer away from my slides and script to interject a pearl or observation that comes to mind, or to reflect what I think the audience needs to hear at that time. That introduces a spontaneity that… Read More about ““Ad-Libbing” In the NICU: Cue-Based and Infant-Driven Feeding Methods”

Disparities related to quality healthcare access are a challenge in the U.S, and more often for women. That sounds a little difficult to imagine. It is shocking, especially since we are in the 21st Century, and considered by many to be in a country that has opportunity and equality for all. The goal of this… Read More about “Closing the Maternal and Infant Healthcare Disparities Gap”

As we go through life, our priorities change from time to time. As a child, I enjoyed reading and could spend hours outside reading books. I would often check out ten books (the maximum you could check out at once) at the library for two weeks, and have them read before the two weeks were… Read More about “Prioritizing Neurologic Outcomes in the NICU: How Can Human Milk Help?”

I have yet to hear a mother say, “I like to pump (breast milk)”. I have heard all mothers say, “I want what’s best for my baby.” Pumping is not something mothers “desire” to do, but for the sake of their infants, they do it. Fighting for a place and/or time to do so in… Read More about “The Struggle of Working Mothers to Pump Breast Milk for Their Infants”

What information can best help a mother achieve her breastfeeding goals? As clinicians, you are in a unique position to guide and educate using valuable research. But did you know the critical value of the initiation phase of human milk delivery, and how risk factors directly impact its success? How about helping mothers overcome inaccurate… Read More about “Breastfeeding Initiation Risk Factors – VIDEO”

Scientific research has continuously improved our knowledge about human milk and how infants breastfeed. Current research tells us that healthy, term babies use intra-oral vacuum to extract colostrum and milk from the breast.1,2 Understanding how infants apply an irregular vacuum pattern to stimulate the breast and extract colostrum and milk from the breast helps to… Read More about “Two Techniques to Express Human Milk: How They Can Be Complements to One Another”

Our culture heavily emphasizes eating as a response to many situations in our life. If we exercise, we are told to drink lots of water, or even better, consume fancy sports drinks. With prolonged exercising, we are told to eat power fuel foods to keep going. We are told to have the most important meal of the day when we wake… Read More about “Can We Feed Our Way Out of BPD?”

A mother’s culture and family beliefs have a significant effect on her decision to breastfeed, length of breastfeeding, breastfeeding exclusivity, and other infant feeding practices. However, women whose infants are admitted to the NICU have other influences on this decision and continued practice. I remember a period of time when mothers were encouraged to provide… Read More about “How Can NICU Nurses Best Support Breastfeeding?”

Virtually every baby I have seen prefers mother’s own milk to infant formula. As a card-carrying gastroenterologist, it was imperative in training to taste all the infant formulations we prescribed to our patients, including all the elemental formulas with broken down ingredients. This was entertaining for others to watch, and sometimes nauseating for us as… Read More about ““Shaken, Not Stirred”: How Does Your Preemie Take Their Milk?”

How often should feeding tubes be changed, and what can be done to minimize bacterial contamination? The short answer is there is no definitive answer, other than “manufacturer recommendations,” which typically say PVC tubes are to be changed every 3 days and polyurethane (“poly”) and silicone should be changed every 30 days. Although these are… Read More about “NICU Feeding Tubes: Change Frequency Guidelines to Minimize Bacterial Contamination”