A Narrative Review of Strategies to Optimize Nutrition, Feeding, and Growth among Preterm-Born Infants: Implications for Practice.

Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal and under-5 mortality globally, and healthcare-related burden and nutrition-related morbidities are unsustainable, particularly in resource-limited regions. Additionally, preterm infants are susceptible to multiple adverse outcomes including growth faltering, suboptimal neurodevelopment, and multisystemic morbidities. Maturation, healing, repair, and restoration to normalcy in preterm-born infants require optimizing nutrition; only then, prognosis, growth, neurodevelopment, and overall quality of life can improve.

Factors Associated with Mother's Own Milk Feeding and Direct Breastfeeding at Discharge in Preterm Infants with Feeding Difficulties: Clinical and Research Implications.

Prematurity presents numerous barriers to mother's own milk (MOM) feeding and direct breastfeeding (DBF). This study aimed to determine factors associated with MOM feeding and DBF at discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in preterm-born infants presenting with feeding difficulties. A retrospective study of data from 237 preterm-born infants referred for evaluation of feeding difficulties and discharged home on full oral feeds was examined.