Premature Births and Breastfeeding Outcomes in Subsequent Children

Research has shed light on the complexities of prematurity and its effects on breastfeeding outcomes in subsequent children. A study published in the Journal of Human Lactation found that preterm infants face significant challenges in breastfeeding, leading to lower initiation rates and shorter durations compared to full-term infants. The study aimed to determine how prematurity shapes breastfeeding behavior with subsequent births, utilizing data from the 2011-2019 National Survey of Family Growth.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that breastfeeding experience with the first child increased the odds of breastfeeding initiation for the second child, with an odds ratio of 16.98 (95% CI [13.53, 21.30]).
• The association between breastfeeding experience and second-birth breastfeeding initiation was smaller if the first child was born preterm (OR = 12.09; 95% CI [7.15, 20.45]) or if the second child was born preterm (OR = 10.72; 95% CI [6.09, 18.87]).
• Prematurity did not moderate the association between breastfeeding experience and second-birth breastfeeding duration.
• Helping primiparous individuals overcome barriers to breastfeeding increases the odds of breastfeeding in first- and second-born children, irrespective of prematurity.

Statistics:

• 6,031 individuals aged 18-49 were included in the study.
• The odds ratio of breastfeeding initiation for second-born children was 16.98 (95% CI [13.53, 21.30]).
• The odds ratios for preterm birth of first or second child were 12.09 (95% CI [7.15, 20.45]) and 10.72 (95% CI [6.09, 18.87]), respectively.
• The study utilized data from the 2011-2019 National Survey of Family Growth.

Sources:

• Trivedi, P., et al. (2025). Does Prematurity Moderate the Association Between Breastfeeding Firstborn and Second-Born Children? Journal of Human Lactation, 8903344251369438.
• National Survey of Family Growth (2011-2019).
• Sage Publications Inc. (2025). Journal of Human Lactation.