For a pancreatic insufficient infant with CF, which feeding is best?

• A. Protein hydrolysate formula with MCT
• B. Free amino acid formula with MCT
• C. Human milk
• D. Standard infant formula

Answer: (C)

In a pancreatic-insufficient infant with CF, choosing a feeding that is easiest to digest and supports growth and immunity is key. Human milk fits this best: it is highly digestible, even when pancreatic lipase is limited, and it delivers immunologic protection and bioactive factors that support gut health and development. With pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy to aid fat digestion, human milk continues to offer the most favorable overall outcomes for growth, tolerance, and infection risk.

Alternative formulas that use hydrolyzed or free amino acids with MCT can be helpful when human milk isn’t available or there are tolerance issues, but they don’t provide the same combination of digestibility, immunological benefits, and growth support as human milk.