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Nutritive sucking pattern--from very low birth weight preterm to term newborn
Manuel Cunha1, João Barreiros, Inês Gonçalves
1Pediatrics Department of Hospital Fernando Fonseca, Portugal. manuelsousacunha@iol.pt
Early Human Development
|September 5, 2008
Summary
Early oral feeding for very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) newborns helps them achieve mature nutritive sucking patterns before their due date. Experience, rather than just gestational age, significantly influences this feeding development.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Development
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Developmental Pediatrics
Background:
- Oral feeding is crucial for infant development.
- Very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) newborns often face challenges in achieving independent oral feeding.
- Maturation and early stimulation are key factors in developing feeding skills.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the nutritive sucking patterns of VLBW newborns from initial oral feeding to independent feeding.
- To compare the nutritive sucking patterns of VLBW newborns with those of healthy, full-term newborns post-feeding autonomy.
Main Methods:
- Two groups were studied: 15 VLBW infants and 25 healthy term newborns.
- VLBW infants received an intervention program starting around 30 weeks gestational age (GA).
- Nutritive sucking patterns, including suction efficacy, rhythm of milk transfer, number of sucks, bursts, and pauses, were measured weekly for VLBW infants and once for term infants.
Main Results:
- VLBW infants showed increased suck numbers and bursts with advancing GA and feeding experience.
- Pause duration decreased significantly over the first four weeks of feeding.
- Despite differences in GA, weight, and chronological age, VLBW and term infants exhibited similar nutritive sucking patterns after achieving feeding autonomy.
Conclusions:
- Initiating oral feeding in VLBW infants before 32 weeks GA promotes a mature nutritive sucking pattern before term.
- Feeding experience appears to be a significant factor in the development and maturation of nutritive sucking patterns in VLBW infants.
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