Breastfeeding infants with CHD: an evidence summary and recommendations from the Cardiac Newborn Neuroprotective Network, a special interest group of the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative.

Summary

This evidence summary from a special interest group of the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative reviews breastfeeding and human milk provision for hospitalised infants with congenital heart disease. It outlines key barriers, including concerns about dysphagia and aspiration, weight gain, clinical instability, developmental factors, workflow issues and health disparities, and notes that supporting evidence for these barriers is limited and conflicting. It concludes that current evidence does not support automatically withholding breastfeeding from infants with CHD. It identifies research and practice gaps and offers recommendations for clinical practice and future research.

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