Timing of milk expression following delivery in mothers delivering preterm very low birth weight infants: a randomized trial

• Published in: Journal of perinatology Vol. 40; no. 8; pp. 1236 - 1245
• Main Authors: Parker, Leslie A., Sullivan, Sandra, Kruger, Charlene, Mueller, Martina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Nature Publishing Group US 01.08.2020; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/308/575; 692/700/1720; Activation; Birth weight; Breastfeeding & lactation; Gestation; Infants; Low birth weight; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Milk; Milk production; Mothers; Pediatric Surgery; Pediatrics
• ISSN: 0743-8346; 1476-5543
• DOI: 10.1038/s41372-020-0688-z

Objective To determine the effect of timing of expression initiation on mother’s own milk production and time to secretory activation in mothers of preterm infants. Study design 180 mothers delivering infants ≤1500 grams and ≤32 weeks gestation were randomized to begin expression within 60 (early), 61–180 (intermediate) or 181–360 (late) minutes following delivery. Milk volume was measured on days 1–7 and weekly for 6 weeks. Time to secretory activation was determined through self-report. Results The late group produced more milk than the early group in the first 3 days ( p  = 0.015–0.031) and over 6 weeks ( p  = 0.045). The late group had more expressions on day 1 (early: p  = 0.049; intermediate; p  = 0.048). Conclusion Initiation of expression at 181–360 min following delivery was associated with increased milk production for 6 weeks following delivery. Further research is needed to determine the effect of expression frequency on milk production in the first days following birth.