American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations for nutrition for orally fed very low birth weight infants who are progressing past the neonatal period as found in the 1998 Pediatric Nutrition Handbook include the following:
Energy: 105-130 kcal/kg/day
Protein: Protein intakes between 2.25 and 4.0 g/kg/d are adequate and not toxic. Protein balance is influenced by adequacy of energy intake and protein source.
Iron: Human milk fed infants should receive 2 mg iron/kg/d of iron by 1 month of age. Iron supplementation should continue until 12 months of age. Formula fed infants should receive iron containing formula and may benefit from an additional 1 mg iron/kg/d. Additional iron may be needed for infants with iron deficiency anemia or active erythropoiesis secondary to erythropoietin therapy.
Vitamin D: Infants should receive 400 IU vitamin D. Breastfed babies will need a vitamin supplement to meet these guidelines. Infants taking less than 20 oz of standard infant formula may need a supplement.
Formula Choice: soy formulas are not appropriate for very low birth weight infants
(See American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement at http://www.aap.org/policy/re9806.html )