Presentation Information

Breastfeeding The Baby With Congenital Heart Disease

• Speaker: Mariana Colmenares Castaño , MD, IBCLC
• Presentation Type:
• Duration: 60 Mins
• Credits: 1 CERP, 1 Nursing CEU, 1 CME

Abstract:

Breastfeeding can sometimes be challenging for some families even when baby and mother are healthy. The Inmunological and nutritional benefits provided by breast milk must be considered when feeding any baby, it is by far the best start for babies that have any other disease where they can tend to suffer from multiple respiratory infections and other medical complications putting babies health, wellbeing and lives at risk. When there is a baby with a congenital cardiac disease we can face a lack of evidence and homogenous practices regarding breastfeeding. Many mothers feel helpless and many surgeons and cardiologists are not convinced that breastfeeding is better and easier for the infant with congenital heart disease. They are uncomfortable with not knowing the volume baby consumes and are not use to observing oxygen saturation an heart rate when the baby Is feeding at the breast. Current challenges in treating patients with chronic conditions include the prioritization of breastfeeding, identification of the most effective nutritional interventions, and the prevention or recovery of acquired growth failure.
Children with congenital heart disease who breastfeed have better growth, shorter hospital stays, and higher oxygen saturations than children with congenital heart disease who receive formula. It is necessary to support this families with evidenced based information to promote and support of breastfeeding to all mothers and babies. Create programs to meet the needs of this vulnerable babies and train surgical and pediatric staff of the neonatal surgery unit so they can support and facilitate a multidisciplinary work.