Promoting Breast Milk Feeding in Preterm Infants at the Windsor Regional Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Breast milk, Neonatal, Preterm Infants born premature benefit significantly from maternal breast milk with decreased risk of sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis; however, breast feeding can be challenging in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) due to a number of factors including parental stress and inconsistent breastfeeding support. An informal parental survey done at the Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) found that 44% of parents discontinued breastfeeding by the time of discharge from the NICU, and switched to alternative feeding methods such as using formula milk. To encourage parents to breastfeed their preterm infants, we developed an information pamphlet to address commonly asked questions about breastmilk feeding. This study aims to assess the impact of this information pamphlet on exclusive breast milk feeding rates of infants, born less than 33 weeks, in the WRH NICU. We will conduct a retrospective chart review to establish baseline exclusive breastfeeding rates among NICU infants at WRH. Following this, a mixed-methods study will assess the impact of the breastfeeding information pamphlet on exclusive breastfeeding rates in this population. Exclusive breast milk trends over the course of the intervention will be displayed using a run chart. A semi-structured survey of participating parents will be used to assess parental knowledge and attitudes towards breastmilk feeding after implementation. Evaluating the pamphlet’s effectiveness is essential to determine its potential as a standard NICU resource. This initiative aims to enhance parental knowledge, confidence, and breastfeeding practices, improving health outcomes for preterm infants.