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Neonatal nutritive sucking: effects of taste stimulation upon sucking rhythm and heart rate
The sucking behavior and heart rate of 22 full-term newborns were recorded. Half of the infants sucked for 9 minutes in 3 blocks of 3 minutes, first receiving a 0.02-ml drop of 5% sucrose for each criterion suck, then no fluid contingent upon such sucks, and finally a 0.02-ml drop of 15% sucrose for each suck. The other half received these conditions in reverse order. Regardless of the order in which the 2 nutrient conditions were administered, intersuck intervals were longer under the sweeter condition, but heart rate was also higher. Possible interpretations include a hedonic explanation suggesting that sucking rate is modulated to facilitate savoring of the sweeter fluid.
The sucking behavior and heart rate of 22 full-term newborns were recorded. Half of the infants sucked for 9 minutes in 3 blocks of 3 minutes, first receiving a 0.02-ml drop of 5% sucrose for each criterion suck, then no fluid contingent upon such sucks, and finally a 0.02-ml drop of 15% sucrose for each suck. The other half received these conditions in reverse order. Regardless of the order in which the 2 nutrient conditions were administered, intersuck intervals were longer under the sweeter condition, but heart rate was also higher. Possible interpretations include a hedonic explanation suggesting that sucking rate is modulated to facilitate savoring of the sweeter fluid.