Institute of Medical Sociology, Health Services Research, and Rehabilitation Science, Chair for Health Services Research University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Eupener Straße 129, 50933, Cologne, Germany.
CITEC Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology, Bielefeld University, Inspiration 1, Bielefeld, 33619, Germany.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2024 Apr 16;24(1):282. doi: 10.1186/s12884-024-06339-9.
Establishing successful lactation in mothers of very low birth weight (VLBW, <1500g) infants requires structured lactation support. Little is known about mothers' perspectives on lactation support in German neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).
This paper features a convergent mixed-method approach that includes a retrospective, cross-sectional questionnaire and interview data to showcase mothers' perceptions of lactation support in NICUs. Content analysis of the interviews (n = 12) and a descriptive analysis of quantitative data (n = 533) were performed to illustrate the current status and need for lactation support in German NICUs.
The results show that lactation support in German NICUs is often inadequate and does not comply with recommendations based on the existing literature to encourage pumping and breastfeeding in mothers. The data imply that even if lactation is successfully initiated in most cases, it is often not maintained over time, which may be due to a lack of personal support and consistent information.
The overall structures and institutional guidelines for lactation support should be encouraged to promote nutrition with mother´s own milk in German NICUs.
极低出生体重（VLBW，<1500g）婴儿的母亲要成功进行母乳喂养，需要有系统的母乳喂养支持。但目前对于德国新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）中母亲对母乳喂养支持的看法知之甚少。
本文采用收敛混合方法，包括回顾性横断面问卷调查和访谈数据，以展示母亲对 NICU 母乳喂养支持的看法。对访谈内容进行了分析（n=12），并对定量数据（n=533）进行了描述性分析，以说明德国 NICU 中母乳喂养支持的现状和需求。
结果表明，德国 NICU 的母乳喂养支持往往不足，且不符合现有文献建议，无法鼓励母亲泵奶和母乳喂养。数据表明，即使在大多数情况下成功启动了母乳喂养，也往往无法持续，这可能是由于缺乏个人支持和一致的信息。
应鼓励德国 NICU 建立全面的母乳喂养支持结构和机构指南，以促进用母亲的自有奶进行营养供给。
