Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117975

Laura Duckett, PhD, MPH, RN, School of Nursing, University of Minnesota, 5160 Weaver-Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, 612-624-9160, ducke001@umn.edu, Richard C. Lussky, MD, FAAP, Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics - G7, Hennepin County Medical Center, 701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1829, and Susan M. Pfister, BSN, RN, Newborn Intensive Care Unit R-4, Hennepin County Medical Center, 701 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1829.

Background: Mother's own milk (MOM) feeding, is strongly recommended for premature infants in the 2005 American Academy of Pediatrics breastfeeding policy statement. Breastfeeding confers important health advantages to all infants and additional ones to preterm infants. In the inner city hospital serving a predominately low-income and minority population where we are conducting this project, 70 to 80% of mothers of premature infants initiate MOM feeding but there is considerable attrition prior to infants' hospital discharge. Even among those infants receiving MOM by bottle or breast at discharge, many are receiving mixed formula and MOM feedings and are likely to wean soon after NBICU discharge.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to determine MOM feeding patterns among premature infants admitted to the NBICU in the study hospital in 2003 and 2004 and predictors of MOM feeding initiation and continuation until NBICU discharge. We are seeking answers to five specific research questions.

Methods: The sample includes infants born at < 37 weeks or those weighing <=2500 grams and excludes infants born weighing < 500 grams and infants with serious congenital anomalies. An experienced NBICU nurse, employed at the study hospital, is conducting the retrospective record review. Instruments include two investigator-designed data collection forms that were pilot tested previously study. Data analysis appropriate to each research question will include frequency distributions and graphs, descriptive statistics, chi-square analyses, t-tests, one-way analyses of variance, and multivariate logistic regression.

Results: Data collection is progressing well. Results related to all research questions will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe mother's own milk (MOM) feeding patterns among infants admitted to a NBICU.
• Describe predictors of MOM feeding initiation and continuation until discharge from the NBICU.

Keywords: Breastfeeding, Low Birthweight

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.