Breastfeeding a premature baby
When a woman becomes pregnant, she wants her pregnancy to run as smoothly as possible and to complete it so that her son has a better chance of surviving and being born healthy, however sometimes there are many mothers who must give birth before the estimated time and Very young babies are born who are considered premature because they are not yet fully developed.
These babies are specially cared for and looked after by the medical staff until their physical, neurological and physiological conditions are adequate for their parents to take them home with the guarantee that they will stay healthy as much as possible. 
When the baby is admitted to neonatology and placed in the incubator, the external environment that surrounds it is not the most appropriate, although it is more conducive to further development. The mother does not have as much access to her baby as she would like, although today she is applying the Kangaroo Mother Method that allows moms to be with their little one for a couple of hours a day.
Thanks to the operation of the Kangaroo Mother Program of many hospitals, the mother has free access to her newborn, not only to take care of him, pamper him and be with him to continue his recovery, but also to feed him with breast milk.
Can you breastfeed a premature baby? It's more complicated?
When a premature baby is born, the composition of breast milk is especially adapted to the needs of the baby. This milk contains more calcium, sodium, proteins and many more nutrients than normal breast milk.
Formerly it was impossible to breastfeed the newborn when he was hospitalized and that milk that was generated especially for the child was useless since the mothers could not access them.
Nowadays conditions are easier and mothers can take their babies and feed them with their milk. Moreover, they should take their milk as soon as they are born to take advantage of it from the moment they feel they are capable of being able to start breastfeeding the baby. 
As the days go by, breast milk will increase and you may have to freeze it because premature babies need little food and you can take advantage of it for other occasions. In this case, it can be very useful to know how to conserve breast milk , taking into account the following recommendations:
- Freshly squeezed in closed container: at room temperature a maximum of 8 hours is preserved. In the refrigerator between 3 to 5 days, and in the freezer 2 weeks.
- Frozen or thawed in the refrigerator (not used or heated): at room temperature until the shot is finished, in the refrigerator 24 hours.
- Thawed out of the refrigerator in hot water: at room temperature until the shot is finished, in the refrigerator until the next feeding or 4 hours maximum.
The shortest answer to the question: can you breastfeed a premature baby? is a resounding yes, although sometimes the conditions do not allow it, mothers must fight for the rights of their children and their own, based on the best information and the support of other mothers the hospital where your baby is should offer the possibility to feed him. This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor. ThemesNewborn
