Final answer:
Infants with pyloric stenosis should be fed thin and diluted formula. Breast milk composition changes from colostrum to mature milk over several days and from foremilk to hindmilk during a single feeding session.
Step-by-step explanation:
The recommended feedings for an infant with pyloric stenosis should be thin and diluted formula. Pyloric stenosis is a condition where the opening from the stomach to the small intestine (pylorus) becomes narrowed, causing difficulties in food passing through. Because the chyme – the thick, semi-liquid mixture that food becomes in the gastrointestinal tract – is impeded, diluting the formula can help the limited amount that is able to pass through the constricted pylorus to do so more easily and reduce vomiting.
Regarding the composition of breast milk, it changes significantly during the first days of lactation, beginning with colostrum, which is high in protein and low in fat and sugar. Over the subsequent days, the milk transitions to mature breast milk, which has a balance of nutrients better suited to the infant's needs. Additionally, the composition of breast milk can also change in the course of a single feeding – starting with 'foremilk', which is watery and quenches the baby's thirst, and ending with 'hindmilk', which is richer in fat and calories, providing more energy to the infant.