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Early postpartum pumping behaviors, pumped milk volume, and achievement of secretory activation in breast pump-dependent mothers of preterm infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 44, pages 1597–1606 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

A Correction to this article was published on 23 July 2024

This article has been updated

Abstract

Objective

Pumping studies in mothers of preterm infants are limited by self-reported pumping behaviors and non-objective measures of pumped milk volume and secretory activation (SA).

Methods

Non-randomized observational study of first 14 days postpartum in 29 mothers of preterm infants. Smart pumps measured and stored pumping behaviors and pumped milk volume. Selective ion electrodes measured sodium and sodium:potassium ratio to determine SA. Generalized estimating equations, cluster analyses and multivariate regression were used.

Results

SA was delayed (median 5.8 days) and impermanent. Each additional daily pumping increased odds of SA within 2 days by 48% (p = 0.01). High-intensity pumping mothers (N = 17) had greater daily and cumulative pumped milk volume than low-intensity pumping mothers (N = 12). Pumping variables showed daily changes in the first week, then plateaued.

Conclusion

The first week postpartum is critical for optimizing pumping behaviors. Accurate, objective measures of pumping behaviors, pumped milk volume and SA are a research priority.

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Time-dependent changes in pumping behaviors for cohort (N = 29).
Fig. 3: Time-dependent changes in pumped milk volume and milk Na concentration for cohort (N = 29).
Fig. 4: Time-dependent changes in pumping behaviors for HIPG (N = 17) and LIPG (N = 12).
Fig. 5: Time-dependent differences in pumped milk volume and milk Na concentration for HIPG (N = 17) and LIPG (N = 12).

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Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Funding

Study was partially funded by Medela, AG.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA, USA

    Rebecca Hoban

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Clarisa Medina-Poeliniz, Judy Janes & Paula P. Meier

  3. Ted Rogers Computational Program, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Marisa Signorile & Chun-Po Steve Fan

Authors
  1. Rebecca Hoban
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  2. Clarisa Medina-Poeliniz
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  3. Marisa Signorile
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  4. Judy Janes
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  5. Chun-Po Steve Fan
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  6. Paula P. Meier
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Contributions

Conceptualization/design: RH, CMP, PPM. Supervision: PPM, Data Curation: MS, JJ, CMP, CSF. Writing of original draft: RH, CMP, PPM. Writing, reviewing, and editing: RH, CMP, JJ, MS, CSF, PPM. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the article.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clarisa Medina-Poeliniz.

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Competing interests

Potential conflict of interest: PPM serves as a consultant to Medela for educational activities. RH holds a position on Medela’s scientific advisory board.

Ethics approval

Rush University Medical Center IRB review. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations.

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All collaborators listed as coauthors have consented to this publication.

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Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The original online version of this article was revised: Page 3, the second paragraph (under Table 1): Na ::16 has been changed to Na <16. Page 5, second line of second column: was higher has been changed to were higher. Reference 18: Austria has been inserted behind Vienna. Funding information was added.

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Hoban, R., Medina-Poeliniz, C., Signorile, M. et al. Early postpartum pumping behaviors, pumped milk volume, and achievement of secretory activation in breast pump-dependent mothers of preterm infants. J Perinatol 44, 1597–1606 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-024-02021-2

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