A Guiding Hand for Families in NICU and Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 53
Feeding your premature or sick baby
Feeding your baby and monitoring their growth are two areas
that can be very stressful regardless of whether your baby is
full-term, premature or sick.
You may find that you spend a great deal of your time worrying about
whether your baby is taking enough milk or putting on the right amount
of weight. For parents of a premature or sick baby, these feelings can be
heightened and become an additional concern.
Babies are weighed every few days. The weight gain is usually reviewed on
the ward round and is used to calculate your baby’s feeding requirements.
Ask the nursery staff to keep you updated on baby’s weight so that you
can track your baby’s progress. It is important to remember your team are
looking at weight gain as a trend over time and it may differ slightly for each
baby.
Making sure your baby is well-nourished is a priority for every parent.
Breast milk is the ideal nutrition for any baby and this is especially true for
pre-term babies. When you give birth prematurely, your breast milk is extra
rich in antibodies. One of the best ways to help your baby is to give them
breast milk which has many advantages over formula milk.
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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