Neonatal feeding: care and outcomes following gastrointestinal surgery

Optimising nutrition is an essential component of infant care. This can be more complex for those infants who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery. While many of the principles guiding the feeding of all newborns are applicable to these patients, there are significant challenges and potential pitfalls that may result in faltering growth and have long-term health implications. Based on a clinical case, this article will discuss the feeding of surgical newborns from the immediate post-operative period, working through to full enteral nutrition, and the longer term care of patients who may remain dependent on parenteral nutrition.