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A premature baby is defined as one born before 37 weeks gestation – annually 54,000 babies are born prematurely in England (Bliss, 2014). The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2013) states premature birth has long-term adverse effects on an infant’s health and is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although the rate of neonatal mortality has declined due to antenatal steroids and improved neonatal intensive care, pre-term babies still remain at risk of serious complications (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, RCOG, 2014). Small for gestational age (SGA) is a term to describe an infant whose birth weight is below the 10th centile for babies of the same gestational age (Steer, 2009). Low birth weight (LBW) is described by WHO (2013) as weight at birth less than 2.5kg and is a consequence of pre-term birth or due to small size for gestational age, or both (Bahl, 2006). The title of this assignment identifies a baby who has been born prematurely, is small for gestational age and has a low birth weight. These combined factors pose a significant risk to the infant’s health, resulting in the requirement for special neonatal care. This essay identifies the importance of breastfeeding for an infant subjected to these risk factors and how the mother can be supported to initiate and maintain lactation when separated from her baby.
Breastfeeding has been extensively researched displaying clear physiological, emotional, psychological and mental health benefits for both mother and baby (Hale, 2007). Breast milk is a dynamic body fluid which meets the precise nutritional and energy requirements of a growing infant with strong evidence to suggest there is a reduction in the incidence and severity of infections in babies fed solely upon breast milk (Wight, 2001). In addition to the health benefits for all new-borns, cumulative research demonstrates additional short and long term advantages for infants born pre-term (Morton, 2002). Premature low...

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