Research summary
Infants with low birth weights who are fed breast milk fare better in many respects than those given formula, yet their neurodevelopment is often less than optimal. This situation can be compounded when parents must use supplemental formula. Poor knowledge about the variability of breast milk composition and a one-size-fits-all approach to milk nutrient fortification complicate our ability to understand these relationships.
Dr. Deborah O’Connor, Canada Research Chair in Human Milk and Infant Nutrition, strives to improve the growth and neurodevelopment of very low birth weight infants by developing new strategies to improve their nutrition. She and her research team are exploring precision nutrition approaches to ensure that the milk fed to hospitalized infants meets these babies’ greater nutritional requirements. They are also testing new technologies to check that processed breast milk from donors retains essential components. Ultimately, their research will help to confirm the quality of donated breast milk when a mother’s milk is unavailable.