Introduction of complementary feeding in premature children

ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe the characteristics of complementary feeding introduced to preterm children. Methods: an exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional, quantitative research. Data collection took place in February 2020 and between May and July 2021 in an outpatient follow-up clinic for high-risk newborns. To participate in the research, children had to have food introduced at least 30 days before and be 24 months corrected gestational age, at the most. The research instrument, developed by the researchers, was applied to the children’s parents/guardians on the day of routine visits. The information they did not know was verified in the patient's institutional medical record. Results: the sample comprised 29 mothers/babies, 55.2% (16) of whom were males, with a mean gestational age of 13 months. Most mothers introduced complementary feeding at 6 months corrected gestational age; 25% of them introduced it late and 17.9%, early. Almost 100% of the babies received fruits and/or vegetables as their first foods. Conclusion: more than half of the preterm children’s mothers started complementary feeding at the recommended time with adequate consistencies and utensils.