• Infants whose postnatal age is ≤4 weeks at time of enrollment
• Babies whose birth gestational age (GA) is ≤32 weeks
• Moms who are >18 years old
• If moms plan to supply human milk to their newborn, they also will need to consent to use donor human milk, as needed, to supplement their own supply

• 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 
  

Project 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

Twice a week, our team will:

• Analyze human milk. (And every one week, or so, we will test for markers of protein metabolism as part of routine NICU care.)
• Use light to analyze a small sample of human milk to measure its energy and macronutrients, like fat, carbs and protein

Every two weeks, our team will:

• Test one drop of the newborn’s blood that is already drawn for routine clinical care for signs of inflammation

Every two to four weeks our team will:

• Collect a stool sample from a regular diaper change to check for beneficial bacteria that live in your newborn’s digestive tract

• Test a urine sample for signs of inflammation

• Swab your newborn’s cheek for optional DNA testing

Every four weeks you will:

• Complete questionaries that let us know how you’re feeling

At term-corrected age (either in the NICU or after your newborn is discharged):

• You’ll spend an additional 15 minutes to have pictures of your baby’s developing brain taken at the same time as standard magnetic resonance images (MRIs) taken of infants born preterm

• We’ll gauge your newborn’s movements, responsiveness, reflexes and muscle strength

After NICU discharge

When your baby turns 6 months old, you will:

• Complete questionaries that let us know how you’re feeling

When your baby turns 12 months old, you will:

• Complete questionaries that let us know how you’re feeling

When your baby is roughly 18 months old (term equivalent age)

• Neurodevelopmental visit with a pediatric expert

• In preparation for this visit, we can send an optional wrist sensor to measure your toddler’s movements 

• We’ll ask you questions about how your baby is eating, sleeping, dressing as well as social skills

When your baby is roughly 24 months (term equivalent age)

• Neurodevelopmental visit (if indicated)

• We’ll ask you questions about how your toddler is eating, sleeping, dressing as well as social skills

When your child is 3 years old

• Neurodevelopmental visit with a pediatric expert  

• In preparation for this visit, we can send an optional wrist sensor to measure your toddler’s movements 

• We’ll ask you questions about how your toddler is eating, sleeping, dressing as well as social skills

When your child is 5 years old

• Neurodevelopmental visit with a pediatric expert
• We’ll ask you questions about how your preschooler is eating, sleeping, dressing as well as social skills

You will receive as much as $300 in compensation 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.