NICU | Supporting Families

Every baby that is admitted to the NICU will receive a consultation to the Lactation Support Team. Whether your feeding goal is to exclusively breastfeed, combination feed, or wean, we will be able to support you through your NICU you stay, and follow-up as needed throughout your admission.

If your baby is not feeding by mouth yet, but you have chosen breastmilk feeding as your feeding goal, there are breast pumps at every bedside to help foster early expression and optimize breast milk supply.

If you do not have access to a breast pump at home, our lactation consultants can assist you in your search for the best fit for you. Rental pumps as available here: ottawabreastfeeds.ca. To support, and promote human milk feeding in the NICU, we offer loaner pump to families facing barriers to accessing a pump (such as inaccessibility to funding or a rental for a short period) with access to a hospital-grade double electric breast pump.

What is Oral Immune Therapy (OIT)?

Your breastmilk is like medicine for your baby, and it has many properties that help your baby heal, grow and fight infections. Even if your baby is not taking food in their stomach yet, or stops eating for some reason, they are still able to receive a drop of your milk every few hours until they are ready to eat again, we call it Oral Immune Therapy or OIT for short.

Your baby will receive a drop of your milk in their cheek every 2 – 4 hours and we will continue this practice until you are putting your baby to the breast or to bottle a few times each day.

Only your own breast milk will be used for oral immune therapy. Even if your baby is receiving some donor milk (or formula) for feeds, we will only give your milk directly in your baby’s mouth. Even small amounts that you pump will be used to benefit your baby.

Preparing Colostrum/Breastmilk for Oral Immune Therapy (OIT)

When you express milk for your baby, we will keep 1-2ml in a separate sterile container to use for OIT. This breast milk will not be frozen and will be used within the next 48 hours.

If you are in the unit when you express your milk, you or your baby’s nurse can give it directly to your baby. It will provide the freshest milk for your baby.

The fresher the milk is, the more benefits it has.

Your baby’s nurse will tell you when it is no longer necessary to separate your milk.

More resources for families in CHEO's NICU

Please visit CHEO's NICU family guide for more information about your stay

NICU Family Guide - CHEO

Print as a PDF fact sheet