Every Drop Counts Protecting High-Risk Neonates With Human Milk

Abstract

Recent studies suggest a dose–response relationship between the amount of human milk received by very low birth weight infants and protection from select prematurity-specific morbidities. However, the feeding of high doses of human milk in this population often is precluded by insufficient maternal milk volume and the replacement of human milk feedings with calorie-dense infant formulas. This article reviews a multidisciplinary quality improvement effort aimed at administering higher enteral volumes of human milk at 1 week of life, 4 weeks of life, and at discharge in the neonatal intensive and progressive care units.