Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2026

A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
Published on: September 22, 2023
The relationship between birth weight and feeding maturation in preterm infants
Brian H Wrotniak1, Nicolas Stettler, Barbara Medoff-Cooper
1Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. wrotniak@email.chop.edu
Aim:
To report changes in ingestive behaviour from 35 to 40 weeks post-conceptual age and examine the association between birth weight and feeding maturation in preterm infants.
Methods:
One hundred and four preterm infants born 24 to 34 weeks gestational age were studied. Feeding maturation was assessed as the change from 35 to 40 weeks post-conceptual age in the number of sucks over 5 min, sucking bursts, sucks per burst, time between bursts and maximum pressure during a suck (Pmax). The association between birth weight and each sucking behaviour was examined after adjusting for potential confounders.
Results:
Significant changes in feeding maturation occurred between 35 and 40 weeks. Birth weight was positively associated with change in Pmax and change in number of sucks per burst for extremely premature infants born 24 to <29 weeks gestational age but not for very premature infants born >/=29 to 34 weeks. The association between birth weight and change in Pmax for extremely premature infants remained significant after adjustment (adjusted beta = 0.128 mmHg increase in change in maximum sucking pressure per every 1 g of birth weight, 95% CI = 0.017, 0.239, p = 0.03).
Conclusion:
Birth weight is positively associated with maturation in maximum sucking pressure among infants born extremely premature.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Development of Human Microbiota
Development of the Oral Microbiota
Anatomy of the Intestines
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the small...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
Regression Toward the Mean
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

