Supporting Premature Infant Nutrition (SPIN)

The Supporting Premature Infant Nutrition (SPIN) program is a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach that engages staff and families to promote the development of positive feeding experiences, encourages the provision of human milk and ensures optimal nutrient intakes to achieve desired compositional growth patterns in infants.

In our quest for enhanced breast milk and breastfeeding rates in a developmentally and nutritionally optimal framework, we have developed several evidence-based practices that work together to achieve these goals, including:

  • Milk Drops Handout
  • Wee Nuzzle (Non-Nutritive Breast Learning Experience)
  • Wee Feeds (Breast/bottle feeding pathway)
  • Family Developmental Bonding Pathway
  • SPIN Guide and Pumping Log
  • Facilitating a Safe, Quality Bottle Feed
  • Signs of Infant Stress During Oral Feeding
  • Consent for Donor Breast Milk / Formula
  • Indications for making appointments with Lactation
  • Indications for ordering OT consult
  • Velocity Growth Charts
  • IEats (Feeding Advancement Tables)
  • Bottles for Home Handout
  • Formula Recipes
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Late Preterm Infant Handouts for Positioning, Facing and Feeding Cues

For more information about the SPIN program and resources available to health professionals, call 858-249-5728 or email us at spinprogram@health.ucsd.edu.

Information for Patients

Breast Milk Bank

We partner with the UC Health Milk Bank to accept donations of breast milk for hospitalized or fragile children who need it.

The non-profit milk bank accepts donated frozen breast milk and processes it to feed sick, premature or young infants when their mother lacks enough milk supply for their nutritional needs. Call 858-249-MILK (6455) for more information.