Partnering With Parents for Pumping Success: Feasibility of Personalized Lactation Support Utilizing Point-of-Care Human Milk Biomarkers
The Hospital for Sick Children
Summary
SALT is a multi-centre, non-blinded, non-randomized prospective interventional pilot study teaching lactating parents of hospitalized preterm infants how to test their breastmilk sodium (Na) using point-of-care (POC) meters. A drop in Na is a sign of secretory activation in the breast that is associated with adequate short and long-term breast milk volumes in this vulnerable population. Primary Objective: Establish feasibility, acceptance, and time cost of parent-led parent milk Na testing in the first 14 days postpartum Secondary Objective: Further investigate relationships between pumping behaviours, lactation risk factors, daily milk Na and lactation outcomes Exploratory Objective: Explore how POC Na data may be used to modify pumping behaviour and milk volumes
Eligibility
- Age range
- Not specified
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Consent provided 2. Have delivered a preterm singleton or twin infant at \<35 weeks gestation admitted to a study NICU at birth or transferred into a study NICU from another NICU within the first 72 hours postpartum 3. Day 5 or less postpartum (Day 1 = day of delivery) upon enrollment (ideally day 3 or less) 4. Plans to lactate at least 2 weeks and initiate lactation with a breast pump 5. Expected infant NICU stay of 7+ (ideally 14+) days in enrollment NICU(s) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Potential study participant's infant is critically ill and not expected to survive or…