Nutrition Of Newborns and Early Infants

Abstract World Health Organization recommends that all infants should receive breast milk in the first 6 months, but in our country only 10% of infants have this opportunity. Minimal enteral feeding is defined as feeding with small amounts for 3-5 days of preterm infants or infants with high risk. Feeding should be started in all preterm infants with the first 6-12 hours if no contraindications exist. For normal newborn infants, the best method of feeding is breast feeding. Colostrum may be considered as the first vaccination of the infant. 100 ml breast milk contains approximately 1,3 grams of protein, 4,2 grams of fat and 7 grams of carbohydrates. Skin-to-skin contact with the mother and infant is important because it increases the interaction, is an opportunity for breast feeding and beneficial in thermoregulation, pain control and adaptation to extra-uterine life. However, if weight loss is more than 7% in the 5-6th day, the infants should have close follow up. If own mother’s milk is not available, donor milk or a formula may be used