Presentation Information

Moving beyond bottles: alternative strategies for supplementary feeding newborns

• Speaker: Miranda Buck , RN, BA, MPhil, IBCLC
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits: 1 CERP, 1 Nursing CEU, 1 CME, 0.1 Midwifery CEU

Abstract:

As many as half of well term infants leave hospital not fully breastfeeding. How these infants are supplemented matters, just as much as what they are supplemented with. In this presentation I will explain why it matters and review a range of techniques for feeding infants not at the breast including:
• cup feeding
• finger feeding
• supply lines
Using the evidence for the risks and benefits of different approaches I will describe how to assess which system is most appropriate. Hospital policies and guidelines that support the use of alternative methods of supplementary feeding are an important tool to help midwives and nurses keep infants breastfeeding. In this presentation I will describe how one hospital has created a series of policies, guidelines and parental information leaflets to reduce the use of bottles and the barriers we faced in implementing them.