Giving premature babies breast milk offers them ‘the best start in life’
Babies who exclusively received breast milk for at least threequarters of the days they spent in hospital showed improved brain connectivity compared with others
Giving premature babies breast milk rather than formula may aid their brain development, research has revealed.
Babies born before full-term - 37 weeks - are thought to have worse learning and thinking skills as adults.
An array of studies has linked their hampered ability to alterations in the structure of part of their brain that helps cells communicate with each other.
Scottish scientists have now found giving premature babies breast milk could alleviate their reduced brain connectivity. The findings add to the host of benefits of feeding babies ‘the natural way’ as researchers say it will give even the most vulnerable premature babies ‘the best start in life’.
Edinburgh University researchers analysed MRI scans of nearly 50 premature babies. The babies had all been born before 33 weeks gestation.
Scans were conducted on their brains when they were around seven weeks old – roughly 40 weeks after conception.
The team also collected information about how the infants had been fed while in intensive care either formula milk or breast milk from either the mother or a donor. Babies who exclusively received breast milk for at least three-quarters of the days they spent in hospital showed improved brain connectivity compared with others. Professor James Boardman, study co-author, said: ‘Our findings suggest brain development in the weeks after preterm birth is improved in babies who receive greater amounts of breast milk. “This study highlights the need for more research to understand the role of early life nutrition for improving long-term outcomes for pre-term babies. “Mothers of pre-term babies should be supported to provide breast milk while their baby is in neonatal care if they are able to and if their baby is well enough to receive milk.”
Professor Boardman said this would give their children ‘the best chance of healthy brain development.’
The study, published in the journal NeuroImage, was welcomed by Sarah Brown, president and trustee of Theirworld, which funded the research.
She said: ‘This latest report delivers valuable evidence to support breast milk feeding for even the tiniest, most vulnerable premature babies, to give them the best start in life.’
Ms Brown said an ‘immense debt of gratitude’ is owed to the families who allowed their children to take part in the study to benefit other premature babies in the future.
Mothers of pre-term babies should be supported to provide breast milk while their baby is in neonatal care if they are able to and if their baby is well enough to receive milk.