Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026
Author Spotlight: Implications of Non-Nutritive Sucking on Speech Emergence and Infant Development
Published on: April 19, 2024
Effects of pre-feeding oral stimulation on oral feeding in preterm infants: a randomized clinical trial
Manon Bache1, Emmanuelle Pizon2, Julien Jacobs3
1Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg, 4 rue Ernest Barblé, 1210 Luxembourg.
Insights
Early oral stimulation for preterm infants significantly increased breastfeeding rates at discharge. However, this intervention did not shorten the transition to full oral feeding or the length of hospital stay.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal care
- Pediatric nutrition
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Preterm infants often experience challenges with oral feeding.
- Early oral stimulation may facilitate the transition to independent feeding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of pre-feeding oral stimulation on transition period duration, hospital stay, and breastfeeding rates in preterm infants.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 86 preterm infants (26-33 weeks gestational age).
- Intervention group received 10 days of oral stimulation before oral feeding introduction.
- Control group received standard care; oral feeding introduced at 34 weeks gestational age for both.
Main Results:
- Significantly higher breastfeeding rates at discharge in the intervention group (70% vs. 45.6%, p=0.02).
- No significant difference in the transition period or hospital stay length between groups.
- Prolonged CPAP support and small size for gestational age were identified as risk factors for a prolonged transition period.
Conclusions:
- Pre-feeding oral stimulation enhances breastfeeding rates in preterm infants.
- The studied oral stimulation protocol did not reduce the transition period to full oral feeding or hospital length of stay.
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of early oral stimulation before the introduction of oral feeding, over the duration of concomitant tube feeding ("transition period"), the length of hospital stay and the breastfeeding rates upon discharge in preterm infants.
Study Design:
Preterm infants born between 26 and 33 weeks gestational age (n=86), were randomized into an intervention and control group. Infants in the intervention group received an oral stimulation program consisting in stimulation of the oral structures for 15 min at least for 10 days, before introduction of oral feeding. Oral feeding was introduced at 34 weeks GA in both groups.
Results:
Breastfeeding rates upon discharge were significantly higher in the intervention than in the control group (70% versus 45.6%, p=0.02). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of the length of the transition period or the length of the hospital stay. The need for prolonged CPAP support (HR=0.937, p=0.030) and small size for gestational age at birth (HR=0.338, p=0.016) were shown to be risk factors for a prolonged transition period.
Conclusion:
A pre-feeding oral stimulation program improves breastfeeding rates in preterm infants. The study results suggest that oral stimulation, as used in our specific population, does not shorten the transition period to full oral feeding neither the length of hospital stay.
More Related Videos
07:11Assessment of the Efficacy of An Osteopathic Treatment in Infants with Biomechanical Impairments to Suckling
Published on: February 5, 2019
05:04A Common Marmoset Model of Mother-Infant Intervention for Breastfeeding Disorders in the Presence of Paternal Inhibition and Maternal Neglect
Published on: September 22, 2023
Related Concept Videos
01:28Development of the Oral Microbiota
01:16Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Oral
Weaning, typically occurring...
01:26Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding
Orogastric (OG) and nasogastric (NG) feeding are two standard methods used for enteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition is often preferred over...