Update on Nutrition for Preterm and Full-Term Infants

Child health and development are contingent on sound nutrition during the neonatal period. The nutritional needs of all infants include adequate intake of fluid and energy; a balance among proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; and proper vitamin and mineral intake. Preterm infants have similar nutritional requirements but demand more frequent assessment of nutritional health and ongoing adjustment of nutritional intake throughout the neonatal period to ensure appropriate growth and development. Evidence-based nursing practice calls for an update on the specific nutritional requirements of infants, special nutritional needs of preterm infants, and the most recent changes in the composition of infant formula.