• Preterm babies born < 32 weeks gestational age and < 4 weeks old
• Moms who are > 18 years old
• Moms plan to feed with human milk (maternal or donor)

• Infants who were fed formula prior to 36 weeks GA (postmenstrual age)
• Newborns with dysmorphic features or congenital anomalies that suggest a genetic syndrome, metabolic disorder, chromosomal abnormality or congenital infection
• Babies who have dysgenetic or major destructive brain lesions detected by head ultrasound prior to study enrollment 
  

NICU THRIVE lasts five years, and there will be a variety of study-related activities over the study’s duration, starting in the NICU and continuing through preschool.

During the NICU stay

• Enrollment: Baby is placed in a nutrition group
• Twice weekly: Milk analysis
• Weekly: Nutrition & growth assessment
• Every two weeks: Small samples of mother’s milk and baby’s urine, stool, and blood spot to assess relationship between nutrition & inflammation
• Every four weeks:
  • Parental surveys to assess feelings and well-being
  • Sample of baby’s saliva to assess DNA changes related to nutrition
• Due Date: Brain MRI & neurobehavioral assessment

Baby’s first year

• Baby sleep and feeding surveys

Baby turns 6 and 12 months old

• Telephone survey to measure how parents and baby are doing

When your baby is roughly 18, 36 and 48 months old

• Surveys to measure how parents and baby are doing
• Developmental testing at Children’s National

You will receive as much as $300 in renumeration for your time, based on the number of completed study visits. For instance, we would load $75 on your ClinCard (debit card) for each completed outpatient MRI visit, as well as each$75 for each completed 24-month, 3-year and 5-year follow up visit.