Which feeding method is used to prepare the gut for future feedings in preterm infants?

The correct choice is the use of minimal enteral nutrition, which is a method designed to prepare the gut for future feedings in preterm infants. This approach involves providing very small volumes of enteral feeds, typically consisting of breast milk or formula, to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract without overwhelming it. The intent is to promote gut maturation and development while enhancing the infant's tolerance to subsequent full feedings.

Minimal enteral nutrition has been shown to have several benefits, including improving gut motility, reducing the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and promoting earlier establishment of full feeding. It can also help encourage the secretion of digestive enzymes and other gastrointestinal factors that play a role in nutrient absorption.

In contrast, full enteral feeding, while necessary at some point in the care of preterm infants, is typically implemented after the gut has been adequately prepared and the infant can tolerate larger volumes without complications. Parenteral nutrition, which provides nutrients intravenously, bypasses the digestive system and does not engage the gut directly, making it less suitable for preparing the gut for future feedings. Lastly, NPO status (nothing by mouth) means that the infant is not receiving any oral or enteral feeds, which is counter to the goal