The best nourishment for NICU babies

We all need proper nutrition to help fuel and strengthen our bodies. This is especially true for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

This unit provides around-the-clock, life-saving care for infants who are delivered prematurely and have high-risk or complex medical conditions. A mother’s breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for these babies because of its unique properties.

The breastmilk mothers produce in the first days after birth is full of nutrients and contains antibodies and antioxidants that boost babies’ immune systems. This also protects infants from germs and the risk of infection in the outside world after they’re born.

Helping newborns thrive

The secret to the benefits of breastmilk starts small — in the milk’s molecular structure. “It’s much more easily digested than formula in a baby’s gut, and they can better absorb all the nutrients in the breastmilk,” says Vanessa Jankowski, lactation educator and supervisor of the New Beginnings Boutique at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns San Diego.

Not only does breastmilk help all newborns grow and develop, but it also provides critical nourishment for NICU babies, helping them heal and avoid infections. “Breastmilk can help improve outcomes for babies in the NICU and get them out of the NICU and home with their family faster,” says Jankowski.

“While breastmilk is preferred for NICU babies, formula milk — also known as baby formula — is more than acceptable, as well,” says Jankowski. “Sharp supports parents who prefer or must use formula. Formulas can be changed to have higher amounts of nutrients, such as protein. But they are more difficult to digest and do not have the antibodies and good bacteria that breastmilk has to help protect infants’ gut health.”

Benefits beyond the NICU

The benefits of breastmilk also extend beyond infancy and a newborn’s time in the NICU. “Breastmilk helps reduce the risk of obesity, Type 1 diabetes and asthma. It may also lower the risk of certain types of cancer later in life,” says Jankowski.

Some mothers may experience different challenges in producing breastmilk, which can happen for various reasons. “Families need to know there are options for them,” says Jankowski.

Sharp collaborates with the Mothers’ Milk Bank and the UC Health Milk Bank to provide donor breastmilk for infants during and after their hospital stay.

“What Sharp does well is help families beyond the hospital stay and bridges the gap in care with options for when families go home,” Jankowski adds. “We are grateful for the donated breastmilk that we receive. It’s an essential part of our work to help newborn babies start their lives strong.”

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