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Babies born premature or sick are fed in different ways to make sure that their nutritional needs are met.

Although many babies born premature or sick are fed using their mother’s own milk, some babies who are at a very low birthweight may have to be fed nutrition through a vein. This is called parenteral nutrition (PN). It is sometimes called total parenteral nutrition (TPN).

Some premature and sick babies will need more nutrients in addition to breast milk. They may be given supplements, such as a breast milk fortifier, to increase the amount of nutrition in their milk. Donor milk is sometimes used when there is a low supply of mother’s own milk, if this is something parents are comfortable with. We have more information about donor milk below.

Whatever your experience, you may find that the way you feed your baby and what you feed them might be different from what you may have expected, which can be unsettling.

Many parents of babies born into neonatal care find that they know less about feeding their baby as they have had less time to prepare, by reading information or attending parenting classes.