Customizing Proteins, Fats and Carbs: A Balancing Act in the NICU

This activity helps participants develop a greater understanding of how protein, energy, vitamins, and minerals support growth and development in preterm infants. More specifically, William W. Hay, Jr, MD, and Bethany Hodges, MS, RD, CNSC, discuss the balance of macronutrients in preterm infants, with a focus on the role of protein. The challenges associated with preterm infant nutrition in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and the unique nutritional needs of preterm infants are addressed, along with the implications of suboptimal protein intake on growth and development. Practical recommendations for parenteral and enteral protein intake in the preterm infant are covered, using a collaborative case-based approach. Dr. Hay and Ms. Hodges discuss the protein sources for preterm infants, including mother’s own milk, donor milk, and formula.

• Profile

  William W. Hay, Jr, MD

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  William W. Hay, Jr, MD, is chief medical officer and a member of the clinical and scientific advisory board of Astarte Medical, a leading precision medicine company based in Yardley, Pennsylvania. He was previously a professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora.

  After receiving his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Hay completed an internship, residency and fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.                                            

  Dr. Hay has more than 40 years of clinical neonatology and neonatal research experience. In addition to his professorship, his previous positions include scientific director of the University of Colorado Department of Pediatrics/Section of Neonatology Perinatal Research Center, and director of the Early Life Exposure Program at the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute.

  Dr. Hay’s scientific and clinical interests includes perinatal physiology, fetal and neonatal nutrition and metabolism, intrauterine fetal growth and growth restriction, the perinatal pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus, mammalian carbohydrate metabolism, and oxygen transport and oxygen monitoring, as well as child health research advocacy.

  Dr. Hay is the principal investigator and program director for an NIH-NICHD T32, a research training grant for postdoctoral trainees in neonatal-perinatal medicine, maternal fetal medicine, and basic science. He also serves as PI, co-investigator or in an advisory capacity for a number of other current research projects supported by the NIH, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other funding sources.

  Dr. Hay is widely published and has authored numerous books, scientific papers, articles, abstracts, and invited editorials. He is the recipient of a number of honors including an award from the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizing his career-long contributions to children’s health.

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  William W. Hay, Jr, MD

  Professor
  University of Colorado, Retired
  Denver, Colorado

• Profile

  Bethany S. Hodges, MS, RD, CNSC

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  Bethany S. Hodges, MS, RD, CNSC, is a neonatal dietitian at Bronson Children’s Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She earned registered dietitian certification and her MS degree in clinical nutrition from the University of Memphis, focusing on inborn errors of metabolism. Her previous professional experience  includes working as a NICU dietitian at Boston Medical Center and Duke University Hospital.

  Ms. Hodges has worked in a number of pediatric subspecialty settings including maternal-child health, nutrition support, failure to thrive, oncology, gastrointestinal disorders, and developmental delays. She is the founder and president of Feeding Wisely, Inc. providing consulting services to healthcare professionals and industry leaders.

  Ms. Hodges is currently involved in initiatives to continue optimizing growth in preterm infants and promoting interventions based on clinical research.  She also presents best-practice guidelines for neonatal nutrition at conferences and symposia around the country. Recent honors include the 2020 Emerging Dietetic Leader Award from the Michigan Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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  Bethany S. Hodges, MS, RD, CNSC

  Neonatal Dietitian
  Bronson Children’s Hospital
  Kalamazoo, Michigan