🍼 Calories per Ounce: Giving Your Baby Extra Energy to Grow
What It Means
Breast milk and infant formula naturally contain a certain number of calories in every ounce. Some premature or medically fragile babies need additional calories to support healthy growth. Your baby's healthcare team may increase the calories in your baby's milk by adding a fortifier to breast milk or by preparing formula with a higher calorie concentration.
Why It's Important
Premature babies burn a lot of energy simply by breathing, staying warm, and continuing to grow and develop. Increasing the calories in each ounce helps your baby receive more nutrition without having to drink larger amounts of milk. This supports healthy weight gain while your baby builds strength.
What Parents Often Notice
The nurse carefully mixes your baby's milk before each feeding.
Your baby's feeding plan may change as they grow.
The healthcare team closely monitors weight gain and growth.
Calories may be increased or decreased depending on your baby's progress.
💛 Parent Tip
Hearing that your baby's milk has "extra calories" can sound concerning, but it's actually very common in the NICU. Think of it as giving your baby a little extra fuel to support healthy growth and development during this important stage.
Questions You Can Ask Your Care Team
How many calories per ounce is my baby's milk?
Why does my baby need extra calories?
How is my baby's weight gain?
Will my baby still need higher-calorie feedings after going home?
