Which nursing care plan is appropriate for an infant with heart failure?

Offering the infant small, frequent feedings is appropriate for an infant with heart failure due to several reasons. Infants with heart failure often experience difficulty feeding because they may tire easily and become breathless during feeding sessions. By providing smaller, more frequent feedings, you can help ensure that the infant receives adequate nutrition without overwhelming their cardiac function. This approach reduces the risk of fatigue and respiratory distress during meals, as it allows the infant to consume smaller amounts at a time, which is less physically demanding.

Furthermore, feeding in smaller volumes can help minimize the risk of overloading the heart, which is crucial since heart failure pertains to the inability of the heart to pump effectively. The smaller feedings also help to maintain more consistent energy and hydration levels throughout the day without causing excessive fluid retention, which is often a concern in heart failure.

In contrast, increasing the infant's fluid intake is not advisable, as it can exacerbate fluid overload, further stressing the heart. Positioning the infant flat on their back can lead to increased respiratory effort, especially if the infant has fluid accumulation in the lungs. Measuring the infant's head circumference, while important in assessing growth and development, does not directly address the immediate needs of managing heart failure in this context. Therefore,