Home » Pregnancy & Parenting  » Childbirth and after » Can a mother breast feed her premature baby There are many advantages of giving breast milk to premature infants. This milk contains protein, amino acids and anti-oxidants such as beta-carotene. It increases the survival chances of the baby and reduces the risk of retinopathy. However, breast feeding the baby may be difficult, because if the baby is small, it will have problems in sucking. Most hospitals have lactation specialists who provide assistance to a new mom.