Very low birth weight infants receive full enteral nutrition within 2 postnatal weeks

Fenin, Audrey; Newman, Jill C.; Taylor, Sarah N.

OBJECTIVE: Identify whether an enteral nutrition goal of reaching full feeds by 7 postnatal days for infants 1–1.5 kg and by 14 postnatal days for infants <1 kg was feasible and its associated outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Very low birth weight infant cohort admitted in the first postnatal day and categorized as either Epoch 1 or Epoch 2, 12 months before and after implementation of a revised feeding protocol were compared. RESULT: In Epoch 2, 83% infants born 1–1.5 kg and 77% infants born <1 kg reached full feeds by 7 and 14 days compared to 26% and 25%, respectively in Epoch 1 (p < 0.0001). Central line and parental nutrition days were significantly lower in Epoch 2 compared to Epoch 1 with sustained and potentially improved infant growth. CONCLUSION: An evidence-based advancement feeding protocol was associated with achieving full feeds within the first 2 postnatal weeks for very low birth weight infants.