Can the Right Formula Help NAS Babies Heal Faster?
More and more babies are being born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)—withdrawal symptoms from opioids used during pregnancy. Doctors in Ohio wanted to find better ways to help these babies feel better and leave the hospital sooner.
They already knew that non-medication care like skin-to-skin time, swaddling, quiet rooms, and safe breastfeeding helps. But they wondered if the type of formula given to babies who aren’t breastfed also makes a difference.
The Study:
Summary of: Orchestrated Testing of Formula Type to Reduce Length of Stay in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
Summary in Plain English:
The doctors looked at two kinds of special formula:
High-Calorie Formula (HCF) – to help babies who burn lots of energy and lose weight during withdrawal.
Low-Lactose Formula (LLF) – for babies who might have tummy troubles.
They wanted to know: Could these formulas help babies feel better and go home faster?
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Over 50 hospitals in Ohio joined. Each hospital picked one feeding plan and stuck with it for a while:
High-Calorie + Low-Lactose Formula
High-Calorie Formula
Low-Lactose Formula
Regular formula (no changes)
They included only full-term NAS babies who were being treated with medicine—and not breastfeeding full-time.
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At first, babies who got both HCF and LLF looked like they did best:
Shorter hospital stays
Fewer needed extra meds
Less weight loss
But after looking more closely, they found that HCF was the biggest reason babies improved. Whether or not it was low-lactose didn’t seem to matter as much.
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Because of the results, hospitals were told:
If a baby isn’t breastfeeding, HCF should be used.
LLF is okay to use but not required.
Over time, more hospitals followed this advice, and babies started going home about a day sooner.
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What This Means for You
If your baby has NAS and isn’t breastfeeding, high-calorie formula may help:
Shorten their hospital stay
Lower their chance of needing more medicine
Help them keep weight on during withdrawal
LLF might help too—but the science isn’t clear yet.
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Ask your baby’s care team if HCF is being used. It’s a small change that might make a big difference.
