If like most new mums you had planned to breastfeed your baby, their sudden and unexpected arrival may leave you wondering if you still can. The answer to this question is yes, in fact there are many good reasons for supplying your premature baby with breast milk. It is something that only you can do, and it enables you to take a more active role in your baby's care. Also the breast milk of mothers who deliver prematurely is ideally suited to the special needs of a premature baby.

Due to their gestational age and overall health your baby may be unable to nurse initially. At many hospitals its standard practice to feed very premature babies expressed breast milk through a nasogastric (NG) tube. This is to ensure your baby receives as much nourishment as possible, if they’re too immature to suckle the breast.

Colostrumis the first pale yellow milk your breasts produce after giving birth, is high in protein, minerals, salt, vitamin A, nitrogen, white blood cells, and certain antibodies, and has less fat and sugar than mature milk. Mature milk comes in approximately two to four days after your baby's born and is produced in greater amounts than colostrum. Mature milk contains water, fat, carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and white cells. Over the course of a feed, breast milk changes from foremilk, high in water and lactose, to hind milk, high in fat and calories.

Breast milk changes to meet your baby's needs as he grows. The breast milk a mother produces for her premature baby differs from the milk she would produce for a full-term newborn and that differs from the milk she'll have for her 6-month-old. Premature babies require more fluid and calories per pound of body weight then full term babies but can only manage small feeds, they therefore need high quality food for growth and development and to combat infections.

Once your baby is able to start nursing at the breast, be prepared to nurse frequently, although your baby may not take in much milk at each feed until they are closer to term. For this reason, you’ll need to express to keep up your milk production as well as have milk for any necessary supplementary feeds.

Learning how to latch on and suck can be difficult for pre term babies. Most babies don’t develop the suck-swallow-breathe reflex that’s critical for feeding until about week 32 in the womb, eight weeks before they’re considered full-term. It can also be challenging to figure out whether your baby is getting enough by breast alone if you’re used to supplementing feeding.

Aim to feed your baby at least every three hours during the day. If they seem hungry only two hours after eating, by all means try again. It’s also okay to wake them up to nurse. In fact, disturbing a nap may actually trigger the suckling instinct. Another method used by nurses in NICU, in the lead up to breastfeeding, is to allow babies to suckle a small dummy at each NG tube feed; this helps the baby associate sucking with a full tummy.

You'll need to use a breast pump until your baby is mature enough for direct breastfeeding. The staff looking after your baby will give you positive support and practical help with this.