New Study – Use of Electric Breast Pump with Hand-Expression Improves Breast Supply in NICU Mothers

According to a new study conducted by Lucile Packard Children’s hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine and published in the July 2009 Journal of Perinatology, mothers of preterm infants (NICU Mothers) may increase their breast milk supply and avoid insufficient production by combining older manual hand techniques with the use of newer breast pumps.

Knowledge of this older, manual technique may help NICU Mothers provide their NICU baby with an increased supply of breast milk.

The study, “Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers of preterm infants” was conducted at at Lucile Packard Children’s hospital with the Stanford University School of Medicine to solve the problem of insufficient milk supply commonly experienced in pump-dependent mothers of preterm infants. Dr. Jane Morton, producer of Breastmilk Solutions Videos, was the director of the breast-feeding medicine program at Lucile Packard Children’s hospital and the Stanford University School of Medicine when the study was conducted.

Women enrolled in this study had given birth to their babies at least 10 weeks early. Their NICU babies were unable to nurse, so the NICU mothers had to establish breast milk production only using an electric pump. Dr. Morton noticed that even though the mother’s in this study were given top-of-the-line breast pumps, instruction and encouragement, they were only expressing a small fraction of their colostrum (pre-milk). To increase breast milk supply Dr. Morton showed the mothers an older technique of hand expression to supplement their electric pumping. She encouraged them to use the hand expression technique as often as possible until their milk came in.

Using a combination of manual hand techniques in combination with breast pumping mother’s of premature infants were able to increase their daily breast milk supply over mothers who did not use manual hand expression. 

The findings of this research study go against the commonly held beliefs that premature delivery lessens the hormone signals needed from the baby and from a term delivery to establish effective breast-feeding.  

More Breast Milk Produced Using a Combination Approach

The most important finding of the study was that women who expressed colostrum (pre-breast milk) using hand expression at least six times daily during their infants’ first three days of life produced the most breast milk later on.

By the end of the study, the women who had included manual hand expression along with the breast pump were producing 45 percent more milk than women who used hand expression fewer than twice a day during the first three postpartum days.

Maximizing Milk Production with Hands On Pumping – Video

Under the guidance and direction of Dr. Jane Morton, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University, Breastmilk Solutions have created a series of DVD’s and videos to educate new mothers and their care providers about breastfeeding and breast pumping techniques.

Sample clips of their video, Making Enough Milk, The Key to Successful Breastfeeding demonstrating the technique is available on the Breastmilk Solutions website, or at the Stanford School of Medicine Newborn Nursery website on Breastfeeding.

According to the Stanford School of Medicine description of the video:

When an infant is unable to breastfeed effectively, and his mother needs to stimulate the breasts and express milk with a breast pump, building and maintaining an adequate supply can be a challenge. This video demonstrates some ways that pumping mothers can increase production without medication.

Proving once again the old adage “Everything old is new again,” knowledge of this older, manual technique may help NICU Mothers provide their baby with an increased supply of breast milk.

Sources:

Business Wire. July 16, 2009. New Breast Pumping Approach Helps Preemies’ Moms to Improve Milk Supply, Says Packard/Stanford Study. Stanford University School of Medicine.

Morton J, Hall1 J and Wong1 R et. al. Combining hand techniques with electric pumping increases milk production in mothers of preterm infants. Journal of Perinatology advance online publication 2 July 2009; doi: 10.1038/jp.2009.87

About the Author

Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT is a respected physician, an expert in life challenges, loss, grief and bereavement, professional health educator, professor, lecturer and author. She is also the Parent of a very healthy NICU Survivor.

Dr. Dyer created and has maintained Journey of Hearts, a website for anyone who has ever experienced a loss. She is the author of For Those Who Hold the Littlest Hands, an eBook written to provide information, encouragement and support for NICU parents. She is the founder of the NICU Parent Support Site, a website developed to provide information, encouragement and support for NICU parents.

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5. Breastfeeding in the NICU