Most premature babies are not  ready to begin feeding at the breast immediately after birth. You will need to remove, or express, your milk with a breast pump. This milk can be refrigerated or frozen until it is fed to your baby. Most premature babies receive their first feedings through tiny feeding tubes. This type of feeding is called gavage feeding and is given at regular times during the day. Even if your baby is not quite ready for gavage feedings, you should remove the milk from your breasts early, often, and completely, so that your body gets the signal to produce an adequate supply.

The first 2 to 4 weeks of milk removal are very important. During this so-called critical period, the milk-making hormones and breast tissues undergo changes that help to ensure your ability to produce enough milk for your baby in
the weeks and months to come.

Therefore, you need to plan to rent and use an effective breastpump to express your milk right from the start. Being in close physical contact with your baby will also help to stimulate your milk production during these first few weeks. You may be able to pump your milk while sitting at your baby’s bedside in the NICU. Ask your baby’s nurse about the technique of “kangaroo care,” in which your baby is dressed only in a diaper and held against your bare skin (skin-to-skin) for warmth.