Breastfeed a Better Youngster: the BABY Study
Breastfeed a Better Youngster: the BABY Study
This research will investigate different aspects of the 'signalling' between mother and
 infant during breastfeeding in a stressful situation following late preterm and early term
 delivery, when breastfeeding is often challenging. The researcher will conduct a
 single-blinded randomised controlled trial in Chinese mothers who deliver a late preterm
 infant (LPI; 34 0/7-36 6/7 weeks of gestation) and mothers who deliver a early term infant
 (ETI; 37 0/7-37 6/7) and plan to exclusively breast-feed.This study will investigate the role
 of the milk and infant gut microbiome as a potential 'signal' in this process. A relaxation
 intervention (meditation tape) will be used to reduce stress levels in mothers who are
 expressing breast-milk or breastfeeding their infant (born at 34 0/7-37 6/7 weeks completed
 gestation). This study will investigate whether lower levels of stress in the mother result
 in more successful and effective breastfeeding, leading to improved infant outcomes (better
 growth, longer sleep duration and reduced crying).
Participants will be recruited while they are in the maternity hospital. A baseline
 assessment will be conducted during the 1-week postpartum home visit, with another study
 visit at 8 weeks after delivery. After obtaining written informed consent, subjects will be
 randomly assigned to either the intervention arm or control conditions (standard management).
 Participants will be told that the aim of the study is to investigate factors that may make
 breastfeeding easier for mothers with a LPI and ETI, so they can breast-feed for longer. They
 will not be told about the randomisation until the end of the study, as this knowledge would
 most likely lead to mothers in the control group using some form of relaxation therapy.
 Background characteristics of mothers and their early feeding experiences will be recorded.

 Participants can choose to complete the questionnaires on paper or online in their own time
 after the study visit. A breast milk sample will be collected pre-feed and infant
 anthropometry will be assessed by a trained nurse pre-feed at each home visit. Feed duration
 will be noted by the trained nurse. Stool samples of infants who were born vaginally will be
 collected by a trained nurse at baseline and at 8-weeks. At 3-month and 6-month postpartum,
 there will be a telephone contact to the participants for follow-up. Participants will be
 invited to complete the infant questionnaires again on paper or online in their own time.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Primiparous mother with singleton pregnancy who is breastfeeding her late preterm
 infants

 -  Infant is singleton born at 34 0/7-37 6/7 weeks of gestation.

 -  Mother and infant are generally healthy (free of serious diseases that can affect
 breastfeeding or nursing infant, or energy balance of the infant).

 -  No current involvement in other research studies that can potentially affect any of
 outcome measures.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Infant with serious underlying or chronic disease*

 -  Mothers who smoke

 -  Infant receiving any medication regularly