Feeding Preterm Infants in Neonatal Units course for Dietitians

This session is designed to introduce you to the nutritional needs of the preterm infant. It is designed to take you through some of the nutritional factors affecting preterm infants, including preterm nutritional requirements, growth and feeding methods and establishing feeds. In this session we will also focus on preterm enteral feeding including the use of preterm breastmilk, donor human milk (donor breastmilk) and formula and establishing onto oral feeding.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

• List the nutritional requirements and how to meet them to support optimal growth of preterm infants in neonatal units and following discharge
• Decide when preterm infants need parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition
• Describe the optimal initiation and progression regimens for parenteral nutrition and enteral nutrition
• List the nutritional and non-nutritional advantages of breastmilk for the preterm infants compared to infant formula
• Advise mothers of preterm infants on overcoming the challenges of establishing lactation and breastfeeding
• Advise parents on the use of specialist infant formulas available for in-patient and discharged preterm infants
• Advise parents on the use of donor human milk from a UK milk bank as a supplement in the event of insufficient maternal milk

This session will discuss the nutritional requirements for preterm infants including the use of breastmilk, donor human milk and specialist infant formulas, whilst supporting maternal lactation and breastfeeding. There are many challenges involved in feeding the preterm infant and the ultimate aim is to achieve expected growth whilst supporting maternal lactation and breastfeeding.