New Breast Milk Analyzer Provides Targeted Fortification, Exact Nutrients for Premature Babies

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Jul 28, 2022, 09:05 ET

Children's Hospital Colorado only facility in the state offering this FDA-approved technology to patients

AURORA, Colo., July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Breast milk is often referred to as the first human super food; however, for babies born prematurely, their growth rate is three times greater than that of a term baby. Therefore, their nutritional needs are much higher. Breast milk may not naturally contain enough of the macronutrients needed for their development. But what if a "nutrient label for breast milk" existed, enabling a medical team to target the exact amount of nutrients needed for each premature baby to grow and thrive? That's exactly what a new human milk analyzer provides for babies in the NICU at Children's Hospital Colorado (Children's Colorado).

Children's Hospital Colorado nurse pouring a sample for analysis in the new breast milk analyzer. With this new tool, the team can collect and analyze breast milk so they can supplement the milk as needed to ensure the nutritional content meets the specific needs of each baby.

Targeted Fortification

Children's Colorado utilizes a new state-of-the-art system to aid healthcare professionals in measuring macronutrients in breast milk, including the concentration of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. With this new tool, the team can collect and analyze breast milk so they can supplement the milk as needed to ensure the nutritional content meets the specific needs of each baby.

"Proper nutrition is one of most important things for preterm babies, especially sick ones. For many years, we have used standard fortification to support their development. Now, we are able to provide a custom approach to feeding our NICU babies," said Kirsten Halstead, MBA, RN, IBCLC, clinical manager of lactation support services at Children's Colorado. "Key indicators of healthy development from head circumferences to lean muscle mass are improved when babies have the exact nutrients they need. Plus, there is a decrease in issues such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and retinopathy of prematurity."

The macronutrient makeup of milk can vary from parent to parent or even within the same parent from hour to hour, day to day or month to month. By knowing the nutritional makeup of each individual parent's milk, the team can ensure that the milk is fortified to exactly what the baby needs, providing the baby with a better chance at healthy development.

Twice a week at Children's Colorado's NICU, the lactation team analyzes a parent's milk; they enter the macronutrients of the milk into the baby's records, where the dietitian reads the results and then the milk is fortified based on the makeup of the parent's milk and the needs of their baby.

Ultimately, Children's Colorado's goal is to observe every low-birth-weight baby (less than 1,500 grams or approximately 3 lbs) when they begin feeding and then use targeted breast milk fortification. If the baby is getting the exact macronutrients it needs but still isn't growing, the team can determine and address other potential issues more quickly, such as difficulty with nutrient absorption.

Children's Colorado as a Leader

This is not the first time the Children's Colorado NICU has been recognized as a leader. Their human milk lab, where they centralize and store breast milk, was not only the first of its kind in Colorado, but also one of the first in the country.

"I love working for an organization that believes in helping our tiniest patients get their best possible start at life. This investment in analyzing and fortifying breast milk is another example of Children's Colorado's commitment to paving the way for improved outcomes for our patients," said Halstead.

The NICU at Children's Hospital Colorado on the Anschutz Medical Campus is one of the highest-performing and highest-volume NICUs in the country. The Level IV NICU offers the uppermost level of medical care for the most complex neonatal conditions and the sickest and smallest newborns, no matter their gestational age at birth, from a seven-state region. Many of the babies in the NICU require surgery immediately before, during and/or after birth, and may have been born just down the hall in the hospital's Colorado Fetal Care Center. As a nonprofit, Children's Colorado relies on donations to fuel the research, care and support our babies and families need.

ABOUT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL COLORADO

Children's Hospital Colorado is one of the nation's leading and most expansive nonprofit pediatric healthcare systems with a mission to improve the health of children through patient care, education, research and advocacy. Founded in 1908 and recognized as a top 10 children's hospital by U.S. News & World Report, Children's Colorado has established itself as a pioneer in the discovery of innovative and groundbreaking treatments that are shaping the future of pediatric healthcare worldwide. Children's Colorado offers a full spectrum of family-centered care at its urgent, emergency and specialty care locations throughout Colorado, including an academic medical center on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, hospitals in Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch and Broomfield, and outreach clinics across the region. For more information, visit www.childrenscolorado.org or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Children's Hospital Colorado complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.
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Media Contact:
Leila Roche, Children's Hospital Colorado
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Media Pager: 303.890.8314

SOURCE Children's Hospital Colorado