Breast milk can be lifesaving for premature babies, Quebec charity says

When Annie Sicotte gave birth to her first daughter 11 weeks early, she couldn't hold her baby in her arms. She had to wait until the following day to see her, lying in an incubator and connected to a ventilator.

"It's the unknown. There's so much fear, it's unbelievable," Sicotte recalled. "You don't see your baby, you don't have time to hold her in your arms. It's very traumatic."

With her daughter in intensive care, one of the few things Sicotte could do to help was pump breast milk—a vital source of nutrition for premature babies.

As World Prematurity Day is marked Sunday, Quebec charity Préma-Québec is highlighting the importance of breast milk for premature newborns and a program that provides mothers with free access to specialized breast pumps.

About 6,000 babies are born prematurely in Quebec each year, accounting for seven per cent of births in the province.

Ginette Mantha, founder and executive director of Préma-Québec, says the province offers exceptional care for premature newborns, with specialized services available across much of its territory.

"Care for premature babies is quite widespread and available in several regions, practically every region of Quebec," she said.

Quebec has six hospitals with neonatal intensive care units staffed by neonatologists around the clock. About 10 other centres care for babies born between 32 and 34 weeks, while additional facilities care for those born later.

Premature babies fall into three categories: those born between 33 and 36 weeks, those born between 29 and 32 weeks, and those born before 28 weeks. Most premature babies in Quebec — about 4,800 each year — are born at 32 weeks or later.

According to Préma-Québec, about 400 babies are born at 28 weeks or earlier each year, often requiring prolonged stays in neonatal intensive care.

Sicotte knows that reality well. Her eldest daughter, Béatrice, now four and a half, was born at 29 weeks and spent three months in hospital. Her youngest, 16-month-old Mathilde, was born at 33 weeks and remained hospitalized for a month.

Sicotte said parents must quickly learn to navigate an unfamiliar, highly medicalized environment while trying to understand what lies ahead.

"The only things you can do as a parent are be there and, for the mother, try to pump your milk," she said. "Thankfully, I had access to that hospital-grade breast pump."

Sicotte received a hospital-grade breast pump through Préma-Québec's free lending program, which allowed her to express milk both at the hospital and at home throughout her daughters' stays in intensive care.

Premature babies, particularly those born very early, may be too weak to breastfeed directly, while mothers who give birth prematurely may need help establishing their milk supply.

Hospital-grade pumps can help mothers express milk regularly, but the equipment is expensive. According to Préma-Québec, a hospital-grade pump can cost about $2,700, compared with roughly $400 for a regular model. Some pharmacies and breastfeeding support organizations rent the specialized pumps for about $100 a month.

Mantha said pumps are generally available in neonatal units, but access can become more difficult when parents leave the hospital.

"The problem is with parents who leave the neonatal unit and go home in the evening because they have other children," she said. "They had less access to breast pumps."

Mantha said breast milk can be particularly important for babies born extremely prematurely. "For some health-care professionals, a mother's milk becomes like medicine, nothing more, nothing less," she said. "Because it helps protect the baby's intestinal flora and provides antibodies."

She said breast milk can also reduce the risk of death among extremely premature babies. "We know that among extremely premature babies born at 28 weeks or earlier, for every 20 babies who receive their mother's milk, one death is prevented," she said. "It's no small thing ... with milk!"

For some families, the experience of premature birth ends in the loss of a child. Préma-Québec provides psychological support to grieving families, including siblings struggling to understand the loss.

"Supporting the siblings, too, who are at home, who were expecting a little brother or sister who arrived too early, who see their parents crying and don't understand," Mantha said.

Being close to a premature baby can also help with recovery. Health-care professionals encourage kangaroo care, which involves holding a baby skin-to-skin against a parent's chest.

Sicotte said her advice to other parents is to take things one day at a time. "Because it's really like a roller coaster," she said. "There are really wonderful days, there are less good days, but you have to take each little victory and celebrate it."

For her family, those victories included watching her daughters gain weight.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2026.

The Canadian Press's health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for this editorial content.

By Katrine Desautels | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.