The Boob Business Podcast by Milk Diva

Ep. 22: Feeding Your Tiny Fighter... Understanding The Unique Needs Of Feeding Preterm Babies.

Naiomi S. Catron RNC-OB, IBCLC with Christine Staricka Season 1 Episode 22

Send us a text

“There are certain things that just take time to resolve, and those are issues of neurodevelopment...  They take time and you can’t speed it up.  You can’t make a baby grow and develop faster... As a parent once you can be clear on why this is happening, that there’s nothing wrong and you’re not doing anything wrong then it’s much easier to see ‘that this is what’s happening now, this is what we expect to change and when.’”

-Christine Staricka

For today’s episode I got to sit down with the amazing Christine Staricka and (hopefully) answer all your questions about late preterm/preterm babies!  Christine is a Registered, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant and trained childbirth educator. As the host of The Lactation Training Lab Podcast, her current role focuses on training and coaching current and aspiring lactation care providers. She has worked as a hospital-based IBCLC in the NICU for 10 years and has over 20 years experience providing clinical lactation care and support.  

Breastfeeding a slightly early term baby is possible but there is A LOT you need to know before following the advice the internet or a well-meaning friend offers.  There is a lot of misunderstanding, misinformation and risks associated with treating a slightly preterm baby like a smaller version of a full-term baby!

In this episode we chat about sooo many things including:

🐣The difference between preterm and late preterm babies

🐣 Temporary tools to get your preterm baby to a “normal” feeding schedule

🐣 Information you can’t always find online or on social media

🐣 Signs of readiness to eat in preterm babies

🐣Assisting a preterm baby in getting enough food

🐣Tongue-tie and other functional feeding issues

🐣Common misunderstandings people have about feeding babies born before full term

🐣What’s the deal with Fortification?

🐣When to bring in help and who to call

💫 And most importantly we ask Christine... If you had a magic wand, what is one thing you would want parents of late preterm infants to know? 💫

If you are a parent of a preterm baby, education is the key to solving your feeding problems.  It’s important to remember that breastfeeding doesn’t magically happen and there is so much support that needs to happen around feeding a preterm baby!

Watch this podcast on Youtube

Follow Milk Diva:

Pregnant Snag your FREE 11-page "10 Common Breastfeeding Pitfalls to Avoid"

Are you Doula or Birth Professional? Get your hands on our free Newborn Feeding Swipe

👶🥄 Getting Ready to start solid foods with your baby? Take our QUICK Solids Feeding Assessment, and get a FREE 7-page Solids Readiness Checklist to start your baby feeding adventure off safely!

This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition.