Milk is dripped in by gravity. Because most small premature babies are fed every 3 hours, the tube may be taped in place so that it does not have to be put into the stomach each time the baby is fed. Very small babies may be fed small amounts continuously so the stomach is never overfilled. A feeding tube that passes through the nose and the stomach and into the intestine is called a nasojejunal tube. It allows milk to be fed directly into the intestine and avoids filling the stomach.
Some nurseries encourage mothers to pump their breasts so breast milk is available for their babies.
Breast milk is easily digested by the baby and contains factors that may protect against infection. Other nurseries use formulas that have been especially designed for premature babies or formulas that are very easily digested. At first the baby will tire quickly and may not take very much of the feeding. With time the baby will learn to feed well from a nipple. The premature baby's intestinal tract often doesn't work very well at first.