Breastfeeding Infants With Problems

Infants with special problems may require procedures, surgeries, or hospitalization to maintain and optimize their health or development. Breastfeeding and breast-milk feeding should be protected throughout these interruptions in an infant’s health routine. Breastfeeding remains the ideal and preferred feeding method for a newborn. Occasionally infant problems interfere with breastfeeding and require the attention of the infant's physician to diagnose and treat the infant’s problem and support breastfeeding (e.g., cystic fibrosis). Guidelines for preprocedural or preoperative fasting recommend 6, 4, and 1 to 2 hours for solids (and nonhuman milk), breast milk, and clear liquids, respectively. Expressing and storing breast milk in this period of nothing by mouth for the infant will ensure the mother’s milk supply is maintained. A variety of infant illnesses and conditions are discussed relative to the potential benefits of breastfeeding and breast milk, as is how to facilitate breastfeeding success despite these illnesses. Careful early breastfeeding instruction and hands-on guidance are important, along with ongoing support to assist mothers and parents in identifying the challenges or difficulties of breastfeeding related to infant illness, develop solutions, and optimize infant nutrition despite their illness.