NUTRITIONAL CARE OF THE EXTREMELY PREMATURE-INFANT

Nutritional requirements of extremely premature infants are greater th an those of other premature and full-term neonates. Nutrition support for these infants should be initiated early in the neonatal period com bined with the use of parenteral nutrition and minimal enteral feeding s. Intermittent gastric gavage is the preferred method to provide ente ral feeding until sucking and swallowing mechanisms are mature. Fortif ied preterm human milk is the first choice of feeding, and the best su bstitute is premature infant formulas. Multivitamin supplementation ma y be necessary, depending on the daily intake of infant formula. Iron supplementation can be initiated as early as two weeks of age.