Avoid breast milk fortifier at NHS

[stef2024]

We've got a girl born at 28 weeks with 1100g. She is stable and doing well at the moment. However, the doctors keep pushing us to take breast milk fortifiers but from our research there are potentially dangerous side effects that they won't admit. My question is, how to get them off our back, they said it is our choice but are pressuring us every second day to take it. Is there a way to tell them to respect our wish since it is optional?

I am also interested if anyone has experienced any of the side effects after the introduction of the fortifier.

What are the potential side effects? My understanding is that they boost nutrition for preemies, I would personally go with medical advice, NICU will know their onions.

Apparently, the occurrence of NEC is increased 10 times in babies that are taking fortifiers. Another thing is lifelong allergy to cow's milk. I go with an attitude if it was about saving the baby they would do it without my consent. For example, intensive care unit babies receive vitamin K without parents being asked for consent. My question is why the fortifier is not part of the mandatory protocol if it's so beneficial without side effects.

Where are you getting your information from? I found a study in Lancet that showed no such statistic. Any medical advice or protocol offered in a hospital setting will have gone through many rounds of scrutiny before being rolled out. I suggest you voice these concerns with the medical staff and see what they say.

From my understanding the evidence linking fortifier with NEC is sketchy, there are studies showing no association & some studies showing a slightly increased risk. Have you related your concerns to your daughter’s doctors? They will be able to discuss the data in more detail.

Also, for what it’s worth, my daughter (32 weeker) developed NEC when she was around 1 week old whilst receiving only breast milk, she received fortifier later on and was fine.

Thanks for the info

What is your research? It's hard but we chose to trust our child's doctors and follow their advice, they are qualified to look at the evidence and research studies and advise what is best for your baby.

We agreed with doctors to go with hind milk which appears to be very effective in our case.