Infant Feeding
Aka: Infant Feeding, Infant Nutrition, Neonatal Feeding, Neonatal Nutrition
II. Monitoring
- Adequate newborn weight gain
- Anticipate up to 10% weight loss after delivery and regain to birth weight by 2 weeks
- Weight gain (1 gram = 0.0352 oz)
- Daily: 20-30 grams per day
- Weekly: 150-200 grams (5 to 7 ounces) per week
- Infant doubles birth weight in 6 months
- Adequate hydration
- Expect clear Urine Output 6-8 times daily
III. Protocol: Term Newborn
- Indications to delay start of enteral feeding
- Prolonged asphyxia with 5 minute APGAR less than 6
- Respiratory distress
- Neurologic depression
- Abdominal Distention
- No stool passage by 24 hours
- Severe Sepsis suspected
- First feeding with sterile water
- Tracheoesophageal fistula (risk of aspiration)
- Vitamin Supplementation
- See Preterm Infant information below regarding supplementation
- Vitamin D 200 IU daily
- Started at 2 months of age for Breast-fed infants with <500 ml formula/day
- Indicated in Breast-fed Premature Infants (see below)
- Consider for darker skinned ethnicity during winter (less sunlight exposure)
- Term Infant
- Human Breast Milk preferrred
- Cow’s milk Infant Formula
- Soy-based Infant formula
- Not recommended (except in vegan families who are Bottle Feeding)
- No advantage in milk allergy (30% cross-reactivity with milk proteins)
- Attempt to switch to cow’s milk Infant Formula
- Elemental formula
- Indicated in Cow’s Milk Allergy
IV. Protocol: Preterm Infant (especially < 1500 grams)
- Premature Infants with >10 percentile weight and adequate catch-up growth may use standard term feeding protocols
- Indications for preterm feeding protocol
- Inadequate catch-up growth or <10 percentile or
- Discharge weight less than reference growth chart despite birth at appropriate weight for Gestational age or
- Birth weight Small for Gestational Age and still below reference growth chart weight at NICU discharge
- Consultation
- Neonatal dietician or
- Neonatologist
- Goals
- Infant feeds on demand every 2-4 hours
- Goal intake 120-150 ml/kg/day
- Ongoing growth approaches 50th percentile
- Premature Infant formula
- Inpatient (NICU): 24 calories/ounce used until weight >1800 grams
- Outpatient:
- Use 22 calories/ounce until one year of adjusted age or growth caught-up >25th percentile
- Use 20 calories/ounce after catch-up growth achieved up until one year (then transition to whole milk)
- Supplements
- Iron Supplementation 2 mg/kg/day (up to 15 mg/day)
- Not indicated if infant takes 150 ml/kg/day iron fortified formula (contains 2 mg/kg/day iron)
- Indicated as addition to formula if <150 ml/kg/day of formula taken daily
- Iron Supplementation 2 mg/kg/day (up to 15 mg/day)
- Human Breast Milk (preferred for at least the first 6 months of life)
- Feed on demand every 2-4 hours
- Milk fortifier or Premature Infant formula
- Use until catch-up weight achieved >25th percentile or >6 months of age
- Adjust calorie density to achieve weight gain of 15-20 g/kg/day
- Option 1: Alternate Breast Feedings (1/2 to 2/3 of feedings) with Enriched Formula
- Give 22-24 cal/oz Enriched Formula feedings (1/3 to 1/2 of feedings)
- Option 2: Fortify Breast Milk with 22-24 cal/oz powdered Enriched Formula
- Kcal/oz 22: For each 50 ml Breast Milk add 1/4 tsp powdered Enriched Formula
- Kcal/oz 24: For each 50 ml Breast Milk add 1/2 tsp powdered Enriched Formula
- Option 1: Alternate Breast Feedings (1/2 to 2/3 of feedings) with Enriched Formula
- References
- Other Supplements
- See Lactation Vitamin Supplementation
- Multivitamins 0.5 to 1 ml per day
- Use until weight >11 pounds (5 kg)
- Iron Supplementation 2 mg/kg/day (up to 15 mg/day)
- Vitamin D 200-400 IU per day
- Start at 2 months old if exclusively Breast fed
V. Protocol: Birth to 4 months
- Avoid honey until over 1 year of age
- Risk of neonatal Botulism
- Avoid water supplementation
- Risk of Hyponatremia
- Avoid semi-solid food until age 4-6 months
VI. Protocol: Age 4 to 6 months
- Iron-fortified infant cereal (4-8 Tablespoons per day)
- Unsweetened fruit juices (2-4 ounces per day)
- Source of Vitamin C
- Plain Vitamin C fortified juice
- Dilute juice with water 1:1
- Avoid other juices until older than 6 months
- Orange
- Pineapple
- Grapefruit
- Tomato
VII. Protocol: Older than 6 months (Infant able to transfer semisolid food to swallow)
- See Solid Food Introduction in Infants
- Fluoride Supplementation if indicated
- Water intake may begin
- Confirm that fluoride concentration not too high
- Initiate dental care
- Wipe teeth and baby’s gums with soft damp cloth