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Setting the stage for successful oral feeding: the impact of implementing the SOFFI feeding program with medically

Susan Horner1, Ann Marie Simonelli, Holly Schmidt

  • 1Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, Illinois (Mss Horner, Simonelli, Schmidt, Cichowski, and Hancko and Mr Zhang); JFK Partners Center for Family and Infant Interaction, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora (Dr Ross); Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, Provo, Utah (Dr Ross); Rose Medical Center, Denver, Colorado (Dr Ross); STAR Center, Denver, Colorado (Dr Ross); and Feeding FUNdamentals, LLC, Thornton, Colorado (Dr Ross).

The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
|January 31, 2014
PubMed

Insights

The Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) program improved oral feeding outcomes for premature infants in the NICU. Post-implementation, infants experienced fewer feeding issues and less need for specialists after discharge.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Pediatric nutrition
  • Clinical intervention studies

Background:

  • Medically fragile infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) often face challenges with oral feeding.
  • Optimizing feeding interventions is crucial for improving infant growth and reducing hospital length of stay.
  • The Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants (SOFFI) program was developed to address these feeding difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of the SOFFI program on oral feeding, growth, and length of stay in medically fragile infants.
  • To assess feeding and growth outcomes at 3 to 5 months postterm following NICU discharge.
  • To determine if SOFFI program implementation influences feeding success and reduces post-discharge feeding problems.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study design was used, comparing infants before (pre-SOFFI) and after (post-SOFFI) NICU staff training.
  • Data on feeding, growth, and length of stay were collected for 81 pre-SOFFI and 75 post-SOFFI infants.
  • Neonatal Medical Index scores were used for group comparability, and parent interviews assessed post-discharge outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Infants born before 37 weeks' gestation achieved full oral feedings significantly faster post-SOFFI implementation (P = .01).
  • No significant difference in time to full oral feedings was observed for infants born at 37 or more weeks' gestation.
  • Post-discharge, parents reported significantly fewer overall feeding problems, less arching, less vomiting, and reduced need for feeding specialists in the post-SOFFI group.

Conclusions:

  • Implementation of the SOFFI program in a NICU setting positively impacts oral feeding outcomes for fragile infants.
  • The SOFFI program demonstrates benefits in reducing feeding difficulties both before and after hospital discharge.
  • The findings support the SOFFI program as an effective intervention for improving feeding success in medically fragile infants.

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