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Energy expenditure for breastfeeding and bottle-feeding preterm infants

Irit Berger1, Valentin Weintraub, Shaul Dollberg

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Pediatrics
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Resting energy expenditure (REE) was similar in preterm infants after breastfeeding and bottle-feeding. Longer breastfeeding duration did not significantly increase REE, suggesting safety for oral feeding recommendations.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Nutrition
  • Pediatric Metabolism
  • Infant Feeding Practices

Background:

  • Breastfeeding is recommended for infants, but its impact on energy expenditure compared to bottle-feeding in preterm infants requires clarification.
  • Understanding resting energy expenditure (REE) is crucial for assessing metabolic demands in vulnerable infant populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether resting energy expenditure (REE) differs between preterm infants fed via breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding.
  • To determine if the longer duration of breastfeeding influences REE in preterm infants.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled study involving 19 preterm infants (gestational age: 32 weeks) who were exclusively fed breast milk.
  • Each infant served as their own control, with REE measured after both bottle-feeding and breastfeeding sessions.
  • Breast milk intake was quantified, and REE values were compared using paired t-tests.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference was observed in mean REE between bottle-feeding and breastfeeding (284.7 vs 282.6 kJ/kg per day).
  • Breastfeeding duration was significantly longer than bottle-feeding (20.1 vs 7.8 minutes; P < .0001).
  • Increased feeding time at the breast did not lead to a higher REE.

Conclusions:

  • Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding result in similar resting energy expenditure in preterm infants.
  • Extended breastfeeding duration does not elevate REE, supporting its safety for infants born after 32 weeks gestation who can tolerate oral feeding.
  • Findings suggest that breastfeeding is a metabolically comparable feeding method to bottle-feeding for stable preterm infants.
Abstract

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