Getting enough: mothers' concerns about breastfeeding a preterm infant after discharge.

OBJECTIVE

To describe maternal concerns about breastfeeding a preterm infant in the postdischarge period and to delineate the strategies mothers used in managing these concerns.

DESIGN

Naturalistic inquiry was used.

SETTING

A semistructured interview was conducted with the mother in the home 1 month after discharge of the infant.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty mothers of preterm infants; the infants had been in a level 3 hospital nursery, and the mothers had received individualized breastfeeding support services in the hospital.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Three categories of maternal concerns emerged from the data: adequate milk consumption by infants; milk composition; and problems with the mechanics of breastfeeding a preterm infant. Mothers identified strategies for these concerns.

RESULTS

The mothers' main concern was whether infants consumed an adequate volume of milk by breastfeeding alone. Strategies for managing concerns about getting enough included using supplemental and complemental feeding, using ongoing cues to tell that the infant is getting enough, and persevering with breastfeeding.

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers of preterm infants have unique concerns about breastfeeding in the postdischarge period and need individualized interventions.