Because preterm infants less than 34 weeks of gestational age usually do not have the ability to coordinate sucking and swallowing, certain methods of feeding are used rather than allowing them to suck. Premature babies are usually fed with a “nasal tube” or NG tube immediately after birth. This is a thin tube that is inserted through the baby’s nose and into the stomach. Depending on the baby’s condition, feeding may not begin for 24 hours, and may be done in small amounts at a time, slowly increasing. If the mother has already sucked out the breast milk with an electronic breast pump, she can feed through a feeding tube. If there is no milk yet, formula can be fed in the same way. Once the baby has the ability to suckle breast milk, she can be encouraged to suckle on her own. Intravenous feeding is needed for babies whose gastrointestinal tract is not yet fully developed to absorb nutrients well, or for babies who are unable to eat enterally due to certain complications. This method completely avoids the gastrointestinal tract and is called total parenteral nutrition . TPN allows time for the baby’s digestive system to mature and recover. The length of time a baby receives TPN is determined by the health of her GI tract. TPN consists of a solution of glucose and amino acids containing electrolytes, minerals, vitamins and fats. It provides the nutrients your baby needs for healthy growth when breastfeeding, formula feeding or tube feeding are not yet available. When a baby can be fed by the gut, every effort is made to allow him or her to eat through the gut. Even when the baby is fed intravenously, occasional small amounts of formula or breast milk can be delivered through a nasogastric tube to stimulate gastrointestinal function, primarily to prepare the baby’s digestive system for later life.