TABLE 1.
Baseline characteristics
| Early feeding group (n = 30) | Delayed feeding group (n = 30) | |
|---|---|---|
| Demographic characteristics | ||
| Birth weight, g | 873 ± 2691 | 793 ± 234 |
| Gestational age, wk | 26 (24–28)2 | 26 (24–27) |
| Weight-for-age z score3 | −0.10 ± 0.86 | −0.17 ± 0.82 |
| Male, n (%) | 13 (43) | 9/30 (30) |
| Black race, n (%) | 15 (50) | 20 (67) |
| Exposure to a full course (2 doses) of antenatal steroids, n (%) | 22 (73) | 17 (57) |
| Apgar score at 5 min | 6 (4–7) | 6 (4–7) |
| Initiation of enteral feeding, d | 3 (1–3) | 3 (1–3) |
| Human milk–based diet with the use of mother's own milk (>80%) in the first 28 d after birth, n (%) | ||
| Week 1 | 13 (43) | 16 (53) |
| Week 2 | 13 (43) | 10 (33) |
| Week 3 | 9 (30) | 11 (37) |
| Week 4 | 8 (27) | 10 (33) |
| Formula-based diet (>80%) in the first 28 d after birth, n (%) | ||
| Week 3 | 11 (37) | 7 (23) |
| Week 4 | 12 (40) | 12 (40) |
1Mean ± SD (all such values).
2Median; 25th–75th percentile in parentheses (all such values).
3 z Scores were estimated by using the Fenton 2013 growth curves.