A Guiding Hand for Families in Special Care Nurseries - Digital - Book - Page 30
Special Care Nursery (SCN)
Feeding your Premature or Sick Baby
Feeding and growth are two areas that – no matter whether your baby is full
term or premature/sick – can be very stressful. You may find that you spend
a great deal of your time worrying about whether your baby is taking enough
milk or putting on weight. For parents of a premature or sick baby, these
feelings can be heightened and be a source of worry.
Babies in the SCN are weighed approximately every two days. The weight
gain is usually reviewed on the ward round and is used to calculate feed
volume/composition and changes (if needed). Ask the nursery staff to be
updated so that you can track baby’s progress.
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.
For example, breast milk:
• Provides antibodies that protect your baby
against bacteria and viruses
• Boosts your baby’s immune system
• Reduces the risk of serious infections
• Provides nutrients, growth factors and
hormones that help your baby grow and
develop
• Is very easy to digest and is absorbed more easily than formula milk.
Pre-term babies have different nutritional needs than full-term babies. Their
digestive system is less mature and they may need some time to develop
their sucking ability. There are a few different ways in which your baby may
receive nutrition in the nursery. The staff will discuss with you what is best for
your baby. The method will depend on your baby’s stage of development and
their overall health.
Enteral Nutrition
Some babies in the SCN will require enteral feeding (EN) or tube feeding.
The feeding tube is passed through your baby’s nose (a naso-gastric tube)
or their mouth (an oro-gastric tube) into their stomach. The milk is placed in a
Life’s Little Treasures Foundation | Supporting Families of Premature & Sick Babies
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