Category: Neonatology

Trophic feeding, giving small volumes of milk to immature infants, has been shown to improve gut development. However, this is fundamentally different from a full feed, which provides all the necessary calories and nutrients for a patient. Understanding the distinction between trophic and full feeds is crucial in various clinical settings, from neonatal care to the critical care unit.

According to a study published on ResearchGate, trophic feeding has been practiced for decades to stimulate the immature gastrointestinal tract of preterm infants. So, what is trophic feeding in medical terms? It is the administration of minimal volumes of milk to encourage intestinal development, rather than providing full nutritional support. This practice, also known as 'gut priming,' is a vital component of neonatal care and supportive nutrition for other compromised patients.

Premature infants often require additional nutrients beyond what human milk alone provides to support their rapid growth and development. Similac Human Milk Fortifier concentrated liquid is a dietary supplement specifically formulated to address this need by enhancing the nutritional content of expressed human milk. Intended for low-birth-weight babies, this sterile liquid product is a valuable tool in neonatal care, used under medical supervision.

Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) can lead to serious health issues in infants, and the most severe outcome is intracranial hemorrhage. This is the most common and dangerous problem for infants who don't receive a vitamin K shot at birth.

According to a study on extremely low birth weight infants, a prolonged transitional feeding phase can lead to lower energy and protein intake, negatively impacting growth. The transitional feeding protocol is a structured, clinical approach designed to safely and effectively wean patients off specialized nutrition support, such as parenteral or enteral feeding, toward a conventional oral diet.