DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v12i3.19527 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Cienc Cuid Saude 2013 Jul/Set; 12(3):517-523 _______________ *Enfermeira, Mestranda em Enfermagem no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM). Bolsista CAPES (Demanda Social) Email: andressaufsm@hotmail.com **Enfermeira, Doutora em Enfermagem, Professora Adjunta da UFSM e Coordenadora do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da UFSM. Email: stelamaris_padoin@hotmail.com ***Enfermeira, Mestranda em Enfermagem no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro. Email: elainelutzmartins@yahoo.com.br ****Enfermeiro, Mestrando em Enfermagem no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da UFSM. Email: samuelzuge@gmail.com *****Enfermeira, Doutora em Enfermagem, Professora Adjunta da UFSM. Email: cris_depaula1@hotmail.com ******Enfermeira, Mestranda em Enfermagem no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da UFSM. Enfermeira da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal do Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria. Email: tatitrojahn@yahoo.com.br FEEDING OF CHILDREN BORN WITH LOW WEIGHT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE Elaine Lutz Martins* Stela Maris de Mello Padoin** Andressa Peripolli Rodrigues*** Samuel Spiegelberg Zuge**** Cristiane Cardoso de Paula***** Tatiane Correa Trojahn****** ABSTRACT Objectives: to identify the prevalence of the types of feedings, up to one year old of life, of newborns with low weight discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Methods: a quantitative and cross-sectional research, developed in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul, in the period of August to October 2011. The population was composed by 66 newborns with low weight, with data collection through telephone when the child was one year old. It was developed a descriptive analysis of the variables. Results: it was found that 77, 3% of newborns with low weight gave discharge from the unit with prescription of mixed breastfeeding; however, when they arrived home, 45, 5% received artificial feeding. On the fourth months old the type of feeding was, in 39, 4%, any type of milk, with pap, mashes, juices and peeled fruits, and the same food was used in 71,2% of newborns at six months old and on the first year of life, 75, 8% were fed with any kind of milk and food equal to the family. Conclusions: it was identified the need to develop health education that emphasizes breastfeeding on the first six months of life and complemented after this age. Keywords: Newborn with low weight. Infant nutrition. Breastfeeding. Neonatal Nursing. Nursing Care. INTRODUCTION Adequate nutrition is essential for the growth and development of children, more than that, it is a fundamental human right, as it is the basis of life itself. Thus, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Fund for Children and the Ministry of Health recommend exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) until six months of age and the introduction of complementary feeding after this age, maintaining use of milk up to two years old or older (1) . The terminology of complementary food refers to any solid or liquid nutritious foods offered to the child in addition to breast milk, after six months of life. Were also called weaning food, but it is recommended to avoid using that term because it can be understood as food substitutes for breast milk and can cause total cessation of breastfeeding (2) . Feeding in the first year of life has also been the subject of study in child health. This fact may be related to the importance that food has this phase of life, in relation to their ability to protect or to become a risk factor for the onset of chronic diseases, obesity, allergies, among others (3) . In recent years, there have been frequent scientific meetings, discussions and debates about the infant in the first half of life. Are highlighted mainly the benefits provided by the EBF, particularly in developing countries (4) . Thus, besides the important nutritional support breastfeeding (BF) provides for all children, it is considered essential to improve survival and promote the growth of newly born preterm (PN) (5) , which are newborns (NB) with less than 37 weeks of gestation (6) . Among the PN, the feeding of the newborn