Breastfeeding in the special care nursery. Prematures and infants with medical problems.

In summary, clinical interventions that are focused on increasing the rates with which mothers initiate and sustain lactation for infants with medical problems must reflect the scientific evidence for this vulnerable population. These interventions should include counseling to ensure that mothers may make an informed decision about providing milk; nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic strategies to maximize maternal milk volume; and basing protocols for at-breast feeding on studies conducted with breastfeeding for premature and other at-risk infants, rather than on ideology or research conducted with term, healthy infants.