NUTRITIONAL CARE OF THE EXTREMELY PREMATURE-INFANT

Nutritional requirements of extremely premature infants are greater than those of other premature and full-term neonates. Nutrition support for these infants should be initiated early in the neonatal period combined with the use of parenteral nutrition and minimal enteral feedings. Intermittent gastric gavage is the preferred method to provide enteral feeding until sucking and swallowing mechanisms are mature. Fortified preterm human milk is the first choice of feeding, and the best substitute is premature infant formulas. Multivitamin supplementation may be necessary, depending on the daily intake of infant formula. Iron supplementation can be initiated as early as two weeks of age.