Your baby's nutrition needs
NICU dietary needs
Preemies miss out on the big growth spurt that happens during the last trimester of pregnancy.
To make up for the growth they missed in-utero, preemies need more calories, protein, and minerals than what breastmilk alone can provide. This added nutrition is vital to their survival, growth, and development.
This is why the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends adding a “human milk fortifier” to mother’s own milk or pasteurized donor breastmilk for babies born weighing 3.3 pounds (1500 grams) or less1 Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Section on Breastfeeding. Pediatrics. 2012;129(3):e827-e841. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552
See the graphic to the right for information about the importance of a 100% human milk diet in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Dietary needs of term infants with gastroschisis
Term babies with gastroschisis have special nutritional needs considering their delicate gastrointestinal system. When recovering from surgery, these term babies need human milk and may need human-milk based fortifiers for additional nutrition to help recover from surgery.
Prolacta’s Surgifort fortifier contains calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrate derived from donated human milk, with added minerals. In a case series of term infants recovering from gastroschisis repair, those who received Surgifort showed (or demonstrated):
- Reduced the time to full feeds2
Data on file.
- Improved weight gain velocity2
Data on file.
Should I provide breastmilk for my baby?
Yes! Breastmilk has enormous health benefits.
Breastmilk is vital nutrition for all babies. Nothing else provides the same benefits. In preterm infants, breastmilk is associated with:
- Reduced infection and inflammatory disease
- Enhanced neurodevelopmental outcomes
- Healthy early postnatal growth patterns
The AAP has reaffirmed the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months for all babies. The AAP also recommends the use of breastmilk for all preterm babies, preferably mother’s own milk or pasteurized donor breastmilk1 Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Section on Breastfeeding. Pediatrics. 2012;129(3):e827-e841. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552
Potential long-term benefits for preterm infants fed a 100% human milk diet
According to a study3 Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond Necrotizing Enterocolitis Prevention: Improving Outcomes with an Exclusive Human Milk-Based Diet [published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017 Dec;12(10):663. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2015.0134.correx]. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134
- Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)—also referred to as chronic lung disease
- Late-onset sepsis – a serious bacterial infection that can cause neurodevelopmental disabilities
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)—which can lead to blindness
- Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)—an intestinal disease and a leading cause of mortality in preemies2
An exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) is achieved when 100% of the protein, fat, and carbohydrates in an infant’s diet are derived from human milk; this diet includes Prolacta’s 100% human milk–based fortifiers.
,3Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond necrotizing enterocolitis prevention: improving outcomes with an exclusive human milk-based diet. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134. Published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017;12(10):663. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134.correx
Understanding fortification
The term “Human Milk Fortifier (HMF)” is a generic product name for a nutritional supplement that hospitals can add to mother’s own milk or donor breastmilk.
But did you know that not all “HMFs” are made from human milk?
There are two fortifiers made exclusively from 100% donor breastmilk: Prolact+ H2MF® human milk fortifier (human, pasteurized) and Surgifort® human milk fortifier (human, pasteurized). All other products labeled “HMFs” are made from cow milk.
Importance of bioactivity in human milk
Human milk is a complex liquid with many different compounds that make it the perfect nutrition for infants. Human milk also provides many protective factors against complications. Numerous studies have been conducted to identify the components of human milk and their influence on infant health and development. Many bioactive compounds are now recognized for their importance in immunity, growth, neurodevelopment, and overall long-term health.
Prolacta is the only human milk-based nutrition provider with a patented manufacturing process demonstrated to best retain essential bioactive components.4 Lima HK, Wagner-Gillespie M, Perrin MT, Fogleman AD. Bacteria and bioactivity in Holder pasteurized and shelf-stable human milk products. Curr Dev Nutr. 2017;1(8):e001438.doi:10.3945/cdn.117.001438 Meredith-Dennis L, Xu G, Goonatilleke E, Lebrilla CB, Underwood MA, Smilowitz JT. Composition and variation of macronutrients, immune proteins, and human milk oligosaccharides in human milk from nonprofit and commercial milk banks. J Hum Lact. 2018;34(1):120-129. doi:10.1177/0890334417710635 Liang N, Koh J, Kim BJ, Ozturk G, Barile D, Dallas DC. Structural and functional changes of bioactive proteins in donor human milk treated by vat-pasteurization, retort sterilization, ultra-high-temperature sterilization, freeze-thawing and homogenization. Front. Nutr. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.926814
Clinical evidence
We’re committed to supporting research in the study of human milk and infant nutrition. To date, more than 30+ studies have been published on this topic.
When used as part of a 100% human milk diet, Prolacta’s nutritional products are clinically proven to improve health outcomes8 Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond necrotizing enterocolitis prevention: improving outcomes with an exclusive human milk-based diet. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134. Published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017;12(10):663. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134.correx Sullivan S, Schanler RJ, Kim JH, et al. An exclusively human milk-based diet is associated with a lower rate of necrotizing enterocolitis than a diet of human milk and bovine milk-based products. J Pediatr. 2010;156(4):562-567. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.10.040 Abrams SA, Schanler RJ, Lee ML, Rechtman DJ. Greater mortality and morbidity in extremely preterm infants fed a diet containing cow milk protein products. Breastfeed Med. 2014;9(6):281-285. doi:10.1089/bfm.2014.0024 Cristofalo EA, Schanler RJ, Blanco CL, et al. Randomized trial of exclusive human milk versus preterm formula diets in extremely premature infants. J Pediatr. 2013;163(6):1592-1595. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.07.011 O'Connor DL, Kiss A, Tomlinson C, et al. Nutrient enrichment of human milk with human and bovine milk–based fortifiers for infants born weighing <1250 g: a randomized clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(1):108-116. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy067. Published corrections appear in Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(2):529. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz091 and Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;111(5):1112. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa042 Assad M, Elliott MJ, Abraham JH. Decreased cost and improved feeding tolerance in VLBW infants fed an exclusive human milk diet. J Perinatol. 2016;36(3):216-220. doi:10.1038/jp.2015.168 Ganapathy V, Hay JW, Kim JH. Costs of necrotizing enterocolitis and cost-effectiveness of exclusively human milk-based products in feeding extremely premature infants. Breastfeed Med. 2012;7(1):29-37. doi:10.1089/bfm.2011.0002
As part of a 100% human milk diet, Surgifort fortifier has been found to reduce the time to full feeds as well as improve weight gain velocity in babies recovering from gastroschisis repair.15 Data on file.
More than 100,000 fragile premature and critically ill infants throughout the world have benefited from Prolacta’s nutritional products, even more can thrive through better nutrition. 16 Data on file; estimated number of premature infants fed Prolacta's products from January 2007 to August 2023.
100% human milk diet
A 100% human milk diet is achieved when 100% of protein, fat, and carbohydrate are from human milk.
This diet includes:
- Mother’s own milk (preferred)
- Donor breastmilk (DM) if mother’s own milk is not available
- Human milk–based human milk fortifiers
With Prolacta’s products as part of a 100% human milk diet, the risk of complications and feeding intolerance associated with cow milk–based fortifiers have been shown to be significantly reduced.8 Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond necrotizing enterocolitis prevention: improving outcomes with an exclusive human milk-based diet. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134. Published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017;12(10):663. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134.correx Sullivan S, Schanler RJ, Kim JH, et al. An exclusively human milk-based diet is associated with a lower rate of necrotizing enterocolitis than a diet of human milk and bovine milk-based products. J Pediatr. 2010;156(4):562-567. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.10.040 Abrams SA, Schanler RJ, Lee ML, Rechtman DJ. Greater mortality and morbidity in extremely preterm infants fed a diet containing cow milk protein products. Breastfeed Med. 2014;9(6):281-285. doi:10.1089/bfm.2014.0024 Assad M, Elliott MJ, Abraham JH. Decreased cost and improved feeding tolerance in VLBW infants fed an exclusive human milk diet. J Perinatol. 2016;36(3):216-220. doi:10.1038/jp.2015.168
Citations
1 Academy of Pediatrics. Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Section on Breastfeeding. Pediatrics. 2012;129(3):e827-e841. doi:10.1542/peds.2011-3552
2 Data on file.
3 Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond Necrotizing Enterocolitis Prevention: Improving Outcomes with an Exclusive Human Milk-Based Diet [published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017 Dec;12(10):663. doi: 10.1089/bfm.2015.0134.correx]. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134
4 Lima HK, Wagner-Gillespie M, Perrin MT, Fogleman AD. Bacteria and bioactivity in Holder pasteurized and shelf-stable human milk products. Curr Dev Nutr. 2017;1(8):e001438.doi:10.3945/cdn.117.001438
5 Meredith-Dennis L, Xu G, Goonatilleke E, Lebrilla CB, Underwood MA, Smilowitz JT. Composition and variation of macronutrients, immune proteins, and human milk oligosaccharides in human milk from nonprofit and commercial milk banks. J Hum Lact. 2018;34(1):120-129. doi:10.1177/0890334417710635
6 Liang N, Koh J, Kim BJ, Ozturk G, Barile D, Dallas DC. Structural and functional changes of bioactive proteins in donor human milk treated by vat-pasteurization, retort sterilization, ultra-high-temperature sterilization, freeze-thawing and homogenization. Front. Nutr. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.926814
8 Hair AB, Peluso AM, Hawthorne KM, et al. Beyond necrotizing enterocolitis prevention: improving outcomes with an exclusive human milk-based diet. Breastfeed Med. 2016;11(2):70-74. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134. Published correction appears in Breastfeed Med. 2017;12(10):663. doi:10.1089/bfm.2015.0134.correx
9 Sullivan S, Schanler RJ, Kim JH, et al. An exclusively human milk-based diet is associated with a lower rate of necrotizing enterocolitis than a diet of human milk and bovine milk-based products. J Pediatr. 2010;156(4):562-567. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.10.040
10 Abrams SA, Schanler RJ, Lee ML, Rechtman DJ. Greater mortality and morbidity in extremely preterm infants fed a diet containing cow milk protein products. Breastfeed Med. 2014;9(6):281-285. doi:10.1089/bfm.2014.0024
11 Cristofalo EA, Schanler RJ, Blanco CL, et al. Randomized trial of exclusive human milk versus preterm formula diets in extremely premature infants. J Pediatr. 2013;163(6):1592-1595. doi:10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.07.011
12 O'Connor DL, Kiss A, Tomlinson C, et al. Nutrient enrichment of human milk with human and bovine milk–based fortifiers for infants born weighing <1250 g: a randomized clinical trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;108(1):108-116. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqy067. Published corrections appear in Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(2):529. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqz091 and Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;111(5):1112. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa042
13 Assad M, Elliott MJ, Abraham JH. Decreased cost and improved feeding tolerance in VLBW infants fed an exclusive human milk diet. J Perinatol. 2016;36(3):216-220. doi:10.1038/jp.2015.168
14 Ganapathy V, Hay JW, Kim JH. Costs of necrotizing enterocolitis and cost-effectiveness of exclusively human milk-based products in feeding extremely premature infants. Breastfeed Med. 2012;7(1):29-37. doi:10.1089/bfm.2011.0002
15 Data on file.
16 Data on file; estimated number of premature infants fed Prolacta's products from January 2007 to August 2023.
