HUMAN-MILK FEEDING IN PREMATURE-INFANTS - PROTEIN, FAT, AND CARBOHYDRATE BALANCES IN THE 1ST 2 WEEKS OF LIFE

The nutritional adequacy of the premature infant''s own mother''s milk was assessed during the first 2 wk of life. Studies were carried out in 3 groups (n = 8) of infants of < 1300 gm birth wt, matched for gestational age and weight, and fed either pooled breast milk, their mothers own milk, or infant formula (SMA20 or SMA24). Macronutrient balances at the end of the 1st and 2nd postnatal weeks demonstrated differences in N and lipid absorption and retention between groups. N retentions (mg/kg per day) were similar to normal fetal accretion rates only in the PT (infant mother''s milk) and SMA24 groups. Fat absorption was poorest from the heat-sterilized PBM (pooled breast milk, average of 64.0% of intake) when compared to PT (88.2%) and SMA groups (83.3%). Average gross did metabolizable energy intakes were similar among groups. Nutritional status as measured by plasma total protein and albumin concentrations and weight gain tended to be poorest in the PBM-fed infants. Either PT milk or infant formula of a composition similar to SMA24 are more appropriate than pooled banked milk for feeding the premature infant during the first 2 wk of life.