Feeding the preterm infant: an overview of the evidence

Breastfeeding is the optimal feeding practice for all infants, with its benefits being more valuable for the population of pre-terms. However, feeding from own mother’s milk is not always an option for pre-terms, and choosing between alternative means of feeding should be made in light of their effect on infants’ health. In this review, we discuss available evidence regarding feeding pre-term infants through a human milk diet, either own mother’s or donor milk, with special interest in growth and other health related outcomes. Clear evidence suggests that exclusive breastfeeding remains the optimal option, whereas feeding with donor milk as a sole diet or supplemental to maternal milk confers immunological advantages and fewer rates of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) against preterm formula feeding, yet the latter results in greater growth velocity. Literature gaps in the use of donor milk, and future perspectives on dietary manipulations of the maternal diet are also discussed.