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The impact on the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 6 months of life of introducing supplementary donor milk into the level 1 newborn nursery

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Abstract

Objectives

This study explored whether donor-milk supplementation increases breastfeeding exclusivity at 6 months of life. In 10/2015, we implemented donor milk for breastfed newborns who needed nutritional supplements for hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and >8% weight loss at 40 h of life.

Study design

We conducted a retrospective chart review on 122 qualified neonates admitted to newborn nursery at University of Florida Jacksonville 4 months before donor-milk implementation and 6 months after.

Results

73 (60%) of the neonates received formula and 49 (40%) received donor milk. 39 (54%) in the formula group and 33 (46%) in the donor-milk group were surveyed after 6 months of life. Multivariate logistic regression showed that newborns who received donor milk had five times greater odds of being exclusively breastfed at 6 months of life.

Conclusions

Donor milk as feeding supplementation for newborns is associated with increased exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months of life.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Exclusive breastfeeding rate at discharge.
Fig. 3: Percentage of infants by duration of exclusive breastfeeding.

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Notes

  1. WIC: Women, Infants and Children Special Supplemental Nutrition Program

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, FL, USA

    Nawal Merjaneh, Patty Williams, Sandy Inman, Mandy Schumacher, Anuta Ciurte, Carmen Smotherman, Rana Alissa & Mark Hudak

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  1. Nawal Merjaneh
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  2. Patty Williams
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  3. Sandy Inman
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  4. Mandy Schumacher
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  5. Anuta Ciurte
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  6. Carmen Smotherman
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  7. Rana Alissa
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  8. Mark Hudak
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Contributions

NM designed the study and wrote the manuscript. PW is a nurse practitioner who helped in consenting mothers who choose donor milk and in data collection. SI is a lactation consultant who helped in data collection. MS is a lactation consultant who helped in data collection. AC is a lactation consultant who helped in data collection. CS is a statistician who helped in analyzing the data. RA is a supervisor attending physician who helped in consenting mothers who choose donor milk and editing and revising the manuscript. MH is a senior physician who helped in editing the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nawal Merjaneh.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Merjaneh, N., Williams, P., Inman, S. et al. The impact on the exclusive breastfeeding rate at 6 months of life of introducing supplementary donor milk into the level 1 newborn nursery. J Perinatol 40, 1109–1114 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-020-0657-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-020-0657-6

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