What every nurse needs to know about breast pumping: instructing and supporting mothers of premature infants in the NICU.

Research has established that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for the premature infant. Because the infant is born prematurely, the mother will need support in expressing breast milk for her infant's use. The clinical nurse has the opportunity to educate the mother on the importance of breast milk for the premature infant and to support the mother through the course of pumping. However, many nurses are not sufficiently educated in the physiology of lactation to adequately support the mother. The purpose of this article is to educate the bedside nurse in the physiology of lactation so that the mother is adequately assisted in expressing breast milk for her vulnerable infant.