(88) Between Pumps and Paychecks: Work and Mother’s Own Milk Provision by Mothers of Preterm Infants

Background: Preterm infants (PT; < 37 weeks gestational age) who are fed mother’s own milk (MOM) during the first 6 months of life experience short-term and long-term health benefits. However, lack of paid maternity leave and the burden of unpaid workloads contribute to racial and socioeconomic disparities in sustained MOM provision.

Objectives: To better understand how socioeconomic factors influence maternal decisions regarding employment and the provision of MOM to PT infants in the first six months of life through surveys and interviews.

Design/Methods: This study included mothers who delivered PT infants admitted to the NICU at an academic medical center in Chicago. Mothers of PT infants responded to surveys which underwent two cycles of refinement prior to this study. Biweekly electronic questionnaires were sent to mothers for the first six months following delivery. Semi-structured interviews between 20 – 60 minutes were conducted via video or in-person and recorded using Microsoft Teams. Interviews utilized open-ended questions to elicit information regarding decisions surrounding work and providing MOM to PT infants admitted to the NICU.

Results: Electronic surveys were developed with feedback from 5 mothers of PT infants prior to this study. 57 Mothers enrolled in the study. 18 Mothers enrolled in both the survey and interview; 10 enrolled in the interview only, and 29 enrolled in the survey only. Table 1 reports the sociodemographic characteristics for mothers who completed the study. Preliminary themes highlighted mothers’ prior knowledge of the importance of MOM, strong lactation support, leaving the workforce prior to delivery due to illness, high stress despite strong family support, burden of household work, and that pumping for a PT infant in the NICU “feels like a job”.

Conclusions: Mothers of PT infants face complex and often difficult decisions following unexpected PT delivery. Balancing the demands of providing MOM for PT infants in the NICU with work is challenging, as mothers must navigate the needs of their infants alongside their own unique personal circumstances.