Two active interventions were carried out in order to encourage breast feeding of low birth weight (LBW) neonates who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Universiti Sains Malaysia. These were the establishment of (a) an effective transport system for conveying expressed breast milk (EBM) from the motherk home to the neonatal intensive care unit and (b) providing rooming-infacilities in the neonatal ward. The EBM was transported by a male health assistant, by the parents themselves or by the local bus company. A total of 473 babies were admitted from April 1994 to September 1995. Thirty-three babies weighed between 540-1000g and 440 were between 1001-2000g. A total of 226 (47.8%) babies were given mixed formula (less than 20% of daily needs) and EBM feeds (Group A) and 247 (52.2%) were given only formula feeds (Group B). A total of 79 babies died of which 5 were in Group A and 74 were in group B. (P value is 0.00). In Group A, 45 babies had clinical sepsis, 9 of whom were blood culture positive. Four of these babies died. In group B, out of 108 babies with clinical sepsis 36 were blood culture positive. 29 died because of the sepsis This study shows that by providing an effective transport system for breast milk expressed at home and the availability of roomingfacilities in the neonatal ward a significant number of LBW babies admitted to the NICU continue to receive their mothers' milk. The incidence of nosocomial sepsis and the over all mortality due to sepsis was significantly higher in those on full formulafeeding compared to those given mixed formula and expressed breast milk.