With TPN, protein, fat, sugar, vitamins and minerals are added to the fluids that the baby receives by vein. Your baby can receive complete nutrition and grow on TPN alone. As your baby tolerates other feedings, the TPN will be decreased. Your baby may be started on tube feedings. A tube is passed through the mouth or the nose into your baby's stomach.
Milk is put through the tube.
This may be as a constant slow drip, called continuous infusion or drip feeds, or as prescribed amounts given every few hours, called gavage feeding. Either way, the amounts will be very small at first and gradually increase. There is often a transition period between TPN and tube feedings where the amount of nutrition from TPN slowly decreases as the amount from tube feeding increases. Occasionally drip feedings are given into the intestine instead of the stomach. In this case the end of the tube is passed beyond the stomach into the intestine.