Breastfeeding a premature baby: ‘I was craving that closeness – that bond of being able to hold him and feed him’

Mum-of-three and management consultant Sara Kinghan found herself in unknown territory when her waters broke at 29 weeks — but she was determined to breastfeed her tiny son Alex

Sita Kinghan with her son Alex, now a thriving toddler, at their home in Dundrum. Photo: Frank McGrath.

Chrissie Russell

Sita Kinghan breastfed her first two children — both of whom were born weighing more than 10lbs and voracious feeders from the start — so when she was pregnant with her third, there was no doubt in her mind about how he would be fed. But suddenly she found herself in unknown territory when her waters broke at 29 weeks.

In the summer of 2019, the Dublin management consultant gave birth to baby Alexander (Alex), but she was only able to give his tiny head a kiss before the infant, weighing just 2.3kg (5lbs), was whisked away to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where he would spend the next 67 days of his life.