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The relationship of brain development and breastfeeding in the late-preterm infant

Sunny G Hallowell1, Diane L Spatz

  • 1School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, PA, USA. marimba@nursing.upenn.edu

Journal of Pediatric Nursing
|February 21, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Late-preterm infants require adequate oral feeding for healthy brain development. Neurodevelopmental maturation, not learned behavior, primarily drives feeding skills in these vulnerable newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal neuroscience
  • Pediatric nutrition
  • Developmental biology

Background:

  • Late-preterm infants (34 0/7-36 6/7 weeks gestation) exhibit physiological and developmental immaturity at birth.
  • Adequate oral intake is crucial for preventing feeding-related complications in late-preterm infants.
  • Significant brain growth (one-third) occurs in the final 6-8 weeks of gestation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing literature on the relationship between brain development and feeding in late-preterm infants.
  • To highlight the importance of neurodevelopmental maturation for feeding behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating brain development and feeding in late-preterm neonates.
  • Analysis of the chronological and predictable patterns of oral feeding ontogeny.

Main Results:

  • The development of coordinated oral feeding in preterm neonates follows a predictable, chronological pattern.
  • Neurodevelopmental maturation appears to be the primary driver of feeding behaviors, surpassing learned behaviors.

Conclusions:

  • Brain development is intrinsically linked to the establishment of adequate oral feeding in late-preterm infants.
  • Understanding this relationship is vital for optimizing feeding strategies and improving outcomes for this population.

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