Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs)

To account for the circadian changes in human milk macronutrient content, it is important to analyse a 24 hour pooled sample of the mothers milk in the neonatal intensive care unit. The 24 hour pool is achieved by either collecting a 24 hour full pool where all milk pumped for a 24 hour time-period is pooled together, or by making an aliquote pool where an aliquote is taken out of each pumping during a 24 hour time-period and all aliquotes are pooled together to achieve the 24 hour pooled sample.

Analysis is introduced when fortification starts and is performed performed once or twice per week to account for the compositional changes in mothers milk over time. Fortification is adapted to the analysis results to achieve the nutritional target set for each individual preterm baby. Growth and development is evaluated acording to the standard protocols of the NICU.

If donor milk without nutritional labeling is used within the NICU it is important to analyse each batch of donor milk.

The Miris team has been working closely with NICUs for more than two decades. We are happy to share our experience and guide you through how the process of human milk analysis and target fortification could improve the nutritional care in your NICU. Through Miris Studio™ we frequently hold seminars on this subject and look forward to seeing you and your team there!

Book a Miris Studio™ session

MD Magnus Domellöf, Professor, Head of Pedriatrics, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden & Elisabeth Stoltz Sjöström, Senior Lecturer, Department of Food and Nutrition, Umeå University Hospital, Sweden.