The Rapidity of Advancement of Feedings in Premature Infants: Evidence Basis and Current Recommendations

Abstract

It is every neonatologist’s aspiration to achieve “optimal postnatal growth” in preterm infants, because nutrition and growth of this population affect long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, despite having this common goal, there are huge variations in the enteral feeding practices of preterm infants across the globe. One such practice is the rate of advancement of enteral feedings; there is no consensus about the optimal approach, even among international nutritional experts. In this review, we aim to provide readers with the rationale for different practices in feeding advancement and summarize the current literature.