The purpose of this study to find out how safely we can add extra nutrients to human milk at different feeding volume.
Very low birth weight babies (weight less than three pounds and three ounces) are extremely fragile and lacking important nutrition due to premature birth. They need enough calories for catch-up growth. Giving adequate nutrition is very important for their growth and development. Human milk is the best food, however it is not enough to provide all the required calories and nutrients for catch up growth and maintain adequate strength of the bones (bone mineralization). For premature babies, extra nutrients (human milk fortifier) are usually added to the human milk to provide adequate nutrition. These extra nutrients will be derived from cow's milk. Currently, a practice of fortifying human milk varies. There is no clear information when to start adding extra nutrients to human milk.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
100
University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, The Regional Medical Center
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
The days to reach full enteral feeding volume (140 ml/kg/day).
Time frame: 4 - 6 weeks
Neonatal Outcomes
Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Time frame: until 36 weeks PMA
Neonatal Outcomes
Chronic Lung Disease
Time frame: until 36 weeks PMA
Neonatal Outcomes
Feeding intolerance
Time frame: Until full feeding volume
Neonatal Outcomes
Parental nutrition days
Time frame: Until full feeding volume
Neonatal Outcomes
Ventilator days
Time frame: until 36 weeks PMA
Neonatal Outcomes
Protein and caloric intake
Time frame: until 4 weeks of life
Neonatal Outcomes
Growth anthropometry
Time frame: until 4 weeks of life
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