[mitchsmom]

Is giving the Low Birth Weight baby hind (high fat) milk used in NICU's in your area? If so, what are some of the indications for using hind milk? What instructions would you give the mother to collect the hindmilk?

If that question doesn't apply to you, I can ask the following question instead:
Share the Breastmilk Storage Guidelines/Protocol that is currently used in your NICU.

Thanks thanks thanks for any feedback!! (I don't even have a NICU within 2 hours of where I live)

[SmilingBluEyes]

Might wish to try this one on the NICU board? I am sure there are some real experts there to help you.

I do know in our special care nursery, we do supplement breastfeeding with cup or gavage feeds of high-calorie formula made specifically for preemies. If a baby nurses well, the supplement is give after nursing is done. If not, we have mom pump milk, and either gavage or cup feed it to baby, followed up with 15-30cc of formula every 2 to 3 hours. Understand, this is NOT a NICU environment, but Level 2 special care nursery procedures I am discussing here. If you don't get help here, try asking this one on the NICU board! Good luck!

[mitchsmom]

Thanks Deb, I didn't realize there was a NICU board

[SmilingBluEyes]

Before I forget, we DO store breastmilk in a fridge JUST for that purpose. It gets labeled with the patient's name and date and put in hazard storage bags in the fridge. forgot to answer you there, sorry.

[fergus51]

We use all the breast milk and not hind milk in particular to the exclusion of foremilk. A premie's mom produces breast milk specific for a premie and we use it all.

[SmilingBluEyes]

and yes, fergus did answer it; we do the same. ALL breastmilk is used, not just fore or hind milk. The body knows the right type of breastmilk to make for each gestation, that is the beauty of it. Studies show, breast milk IS different in a woman who gave birth at 28 weeks versus 40 weeks. So why would anyone throw ANY of it away? NO reason unless specifically ordered by a neonatologist or ped....and that would indeed be rare. We use every bit we can get.

[KRVRN]

On the rare occasion we deal with hindmilk it is when we have a TWIN that isn't gaining weight well despite fortifiers. One twin gets the hindmilk and the other gets the rest. We never actually discard the foremilk.