A Case Study of a Late Preterm Infant’s Transition to Full At-Breast Feedings at 4 Months of Age

Abstract

Breast milk intake is recommended for late preterm infants. Many mothers provide expressed breast milk during hospitalization and anticipate transitioning their late preterm infant to full feedings at-breast after discharge. However, some infants take months to transition to full feedings at-breast. This article describes the case of a mother and her 35-week infant who transitioned to full feeding at-breast at 4 months after discharge. The clinical strategies to maintain maternal milk supply, use of hospital-grade scale, and importance of professional and community lactation support are discussed.