Abstract

PIP: The breast milk of mothers of premature infants is higher in energy, protein, and sodium content and lower in carbohydrate content than the milk of mothers of term infants. Premature infants fed their own mother's milk do better in terms of weight gain, growth, and neurological development than do premature infants fed either the breast milk of mothers of term infants or cow's milk. However, very premature infants cannot suckle and must be fed formulae fortified with extra protein, fat, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D; and on these formulae they have been shown to improve in weight, length and head growth. However, too much extra protein can result in overnutrition. Since the foreign protein of cow's milk seems to do no harm and donated breast milk has to be screened for AIDS, the best compromise for feeding the premature infant appears to be a combination of the mother's own milk and the fortified formula.