Table 1 Participant inclusion and exclusion criteria

 Gestational age

24–32 weeks gestation

 Birth weight

500–1500 g

 Congenital gastrointestinal anomalies

Any congenital gastrointestinal anomalies

 Clinically unwell

Major surgery within 48 h of birth

Culture-proven sepsis

Vasopressors

Nitric oxide

Prostaglandins

 Suspected coagulopathy

Bleeding from any orifice

 Confirmed coagulopathy

International normalized ratio >1.4

Partial thromboplastin time >39 s

Fibrinogen <1.00 g/L

Platelet count <100 × 10⁹/L

 Neutropenia

Absolute neutrophil count <0.5 × 10⁹/L

 Complete meconium evacuation

2 bowel movements with no meconium