Defining Nutritional Needs of Preterm Infants

2021 ◽  
pp. 5-11
Author(s):  
Berthold Koletzko ◽  
Sarah Wieczorek ◽  
Magnus Domellöf ◽  
Brenda B. Poindexter
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Nutritional Needs

scholarly journals Complementary Feeding Practices in a Cohort of Italian Late Preterm Infants

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Giannì ◽  
Elena Bezze ◽  
Lorenzo Colombo ◽  
Camilla Rossetti ◽  
Nicola Pesenti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Complementary Feeding ◽  
Feeding Practices ◽  
Postnatal Growth ◽  
Late Preterm ◽  
Late Preterm Infants ◽  
Low Protein ◽  
Phone Calls ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Level I

Limited data are available on complementary feeding in preterm infants, who show increased nutritional needs and are at risk of altered postnatal growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the timing and content of complementary feeding in a cohort of late preterm infants. We conducted a prospective, observational study, including mothers who had given birth to infants admitted to level I or II of care with a gestational age between 34 and 36 weeks. Mothers were contacted at 3, 6 and 12 months after delivery by phone calls and were asked about their infant’s mode of feeding and the timing and schedule of the introduction of different solid foods types. A total of 49 mothers and 57 infants completed the study. The mean postnatal age of the introduction of complementary foods was 5.7 ± 0.7 months. Low energy and/or low protein-dense foods were first introduced in most infants. Fruit as the first type of complementary food in the infant’s diet was associated with a 1.6-month advance in initiating complementary feeding. The present findings provide further insight into complementary feeding practices in late preterm infants and underline the need for specific recommendations addressing this vulnerable population.

Feeding the feeble

2021 ◽  
pp. 265-272
Author(s):  
Michael Obladen
Keyword(s):  
Human Milk ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Necrotizing Enterocolitis ◽  
Premature Infants ◽  
Tube Feeding ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Air Inlet ◽  
Nasogastric Tubes ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
The 1960S

This chapter describes historic steps in feeding techniques and knowledge about the nutritional needs of premature infants. Devices to overcome weak sucking and swallowing were developed from 1851 to 1920: tube feeding by gavage, medicine droppers and pipettes, feeding bottles with air inlet, and beaked spoons for nasal feeding. Indwelling nasogastric tubes were in use from 1951. For alleged safety concerns, postnatal feeding was postponed until a week of starvation was reached in the 1950s and studies showed an association with neurological handicaps. The premature infant’s elevated need for energy, protein, and minerals has been known since 1919. However, nutritional practice lagged behind theoretical knowledge. Concentrated formula was developed in the 1940s, parenteral supplementation in the 1960s, and human milk fortifiers in the 1970s. In the 1990s, necrotizing enterocolitis was found to be more frequent in infants fed formula than in those fed human milk. Recently, probiotics were shown to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis. Compared to other aspects of neonatal medicine, there is little evidence on how to feed preterm infants.

scholarly journals Weaning and complementary feeding in preterm infants: management, timing and health outcome

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberta Barachetti ◽  
Elisabetta Villa ◽  
Mario Barbarini
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽  
European Society ◽  
Solid Food ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Positive Serology ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Pediatric Allergy ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Current Guidelines

The introduction of solid food is necessary for any infant in order to provide adequate nutrition because when they grow up milk is insufficient for their nutritional needs. Infants born preterm have increased nutritional requirements. The high nutrient demands as well as the organ immaturity of preterm infants combine to render it difficult to achieve dietary intakes that will allow preterm infants to match their in utero growth rates. Current guidelines for the introduction of solid food to term infants cannot be directly translated to preterm infants. For preterm infants such guidelines are lacking. Based on the limited available evidence, it could be concluded that a corrected age of 3 months (13 weeks) may be an appropriate age to start introducing solid food for most preterm infants. About celiac disease (CD), gluten may be introduced into the infant’s diet anytime between 4 and 12 completed months of age. In children at high risk for CD, earlier introduction of gluten (4 vs 6 months or 6 vs 12 months) is associated with earlier development of CD autoimmunity (defined as positive serology) and CD, but the cumulative incidence of each in later childhood is similar. Relatively to weaning and allergies, the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology and the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition have produced joint guidelines. They recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 4–6 months or use of hypoallergenic formulas if exclusive breastfeeding is not possible. In addition, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations now state that there is no evidence to recommend maternal dietary restrictions during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, there is no evidence that delaying introduction of solids including allergenic foods after 4–6 months is protective.

Macronutrient analysis of preterm human milk using mid-infrared spectrophotometry

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 785-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Özgül Bulut ◽  
Asuman Çoban ◽  
Zeynep İnce
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Human Milk ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
High Body Mass Index ◽  
Income Level ◽  
Human Breast Milk ◽  
Human Breast ◽  
Mid Infrared ◽  
Macronutrient Content ◽  
Nutritional Needs

Abstract Background Human milk is the optimal source of nutrition for preterm infants. However, breast milk alone is often not sufficient to satisfy the high nutritional needs for growth and development in preterm infants. Fortified human breast milk is the best way to meet the nutritional needs of preterm infants. Human breast milk is fortified according to the estimated nutrient content of mature breast milk; however, because the content of breast milk is highly variable, the macronutrient support may be more or less than needed. The goal of this study was to analyze the macronutrient content of preterm human milk during the first 6 weeks of lactation. Methods The study included 32 mothers of preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤32 weeks. Breast milk was collected in 24-h cycles and analyzed daily using mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy. We measured protein, fat and lactose concentrations in the breast milk, and the energy content was calculated. Results The protein content was high during the first weeks of lactation, but decreased as lactation progressed. The fat, energy and lactose contents of the breast milk were low during the first 2 weeks of lactation, increased as lactation progressed and remained constant thereafter. In women with high body mass index (BMI), higher protein levels were found in transitional milk. In women who had high income level, higher fat and energy levels were found in transitional milk. Conclusion Our findings indicate that the macronutrient content of preterm breast milk changes throughout the course of lactation, with BMI and income level. Knowledge of the macronutrient composition of breast milk is necessary to ensure that preterm infants receive the appropriate types and quantities of nutrients to promote optimal growth, and to ensure that breast milk is fortified according to individual needs. Our findings may be useful for the provision of optimal nutritional support for preterm infants.

Feeding the feeble: steps towards nourishing preterm infants

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Obladen
Keyword(s):  
Human Milk ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Necrotizing Enterocolitis ◽  
Premature Infants ◽  
Tube Feeding ◽  
Theoretical Knowledge ◽  
Air Inlet ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Feeding Techniques

AbstractThis paper describes historic steps in feeding techniques and knowledge on the nutritional needs of premature infants. Devices to overcome weak sucking and swallowing were developed from 1851 to 1920, including tube feeding by gavage, medicine droppers and pipettes, feeding bottles with an air inlet, and beaked spoons for nasal feeding. Indwelling nastrogastric tubes were in use from 1951. For alleged safety concerns in the 1950s, postnatal feeding was postponed until a week of starvation was reached, and studies showed an association with neurological handicaps. The premature infant’s elevated need for energy, protein, and minerals has been established since 1919. However, these remained controversial, and nutritional practices continued to lag behind theoretical knowledge. Concentrated formula was developed in the 1940s, parenteral supplementation in the 1960s, and human milk fortifiers in the 1970s. In the 1990s, necrotizing enterocolitis was found to be more frequent in infants who were fed formula than in those who were fed human milk. Recently, probiotics were shown to reduce the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis. Nevertheless, compared with other aspects of neonatal medicine, there is still remarkably little evidence on how to feed preterm infants.

Comments on Nutrition Committee Statement

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-673
Author(s):  
John Silverio
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
American Academy ◽  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Low Birth Weight Infants ◽  
Water Requirements ◽  
Premature Babies ◽  
American Academy Of Pediatrics ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Nutrition Committee

This is a comment on the statement on the nutritional needs of low-birth-weight infants, made by the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Pediatrics 60:519, October 1977). 1. In the section on water requirements (p. 519), the document states that "preterm infants excrete sodium well." This statement is backed tip by two references.1,2 Although the two quoted references are reliable, it is also true that other published data have shown that premature babies do not excrete sodium well, with subsequent retention of water.3

scholarly journals Complementary Feeding in the Preterm Infants: Summary of Available Macronutrient Intakes and Requirements

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3696
Author(s):  
Guglielmo Salvatori ◽  
Ludovica Martini ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants ◽  
Reference Values ◽  
Complementary Feeding ◽  
Italian Population ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Limited Data ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Dietary Reference Values ◽  
Nutritional Needs ◽  
Nutrient Reference Values

Limited data are available regarding the nutritional needs for preterm infants. In most cases, guidelines refer to the acquisition of neuromotor skills, adequate weight and corrected chronological age. While waiting for the establishment of specific nutritional indications for premature infants we proposed the weaning recommendations for term infants of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition with LARNs (Reference intake Levels of Nutrients and energy for the Italian population) of 2014, the Dietary Reference Values for nutrients of European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) of 2017 and the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes of 2017.

Auditory Arousal in Preterm Infants

1984 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 3-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kay Lynn Copriviza ◽  
Cynthia Gayle Lima
Keyword(s):  
Preterm Infants
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