Effects of early intervention on feeding behavior in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care
• Pediatric nutrition
• Developmental pediatrics

Background:

• Human milk feeding is crucial for preterm infants but challenging due to NICU environments.
• Adverse factors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can impede human milk consumption for vulnerable infants and mothers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an early intervention on promoting human milk feeding and achieving full oral feeding in preterm infants.
• Investigate the efficacy of a structured early intervention program in enhancing nutritional outcomes for premature neonates.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving preterm infants (25-29 weeks gestational age) compared an early intervention (EI) group with a standard care (SC) group.
• The EI group received PremieStart and parental training in infant massage and visual attention; the SC group received standard NICU care including Kangaroo Mother Care.
• Outcomes measured included the time to achieve full oral feeding and human milk consumption at discharge.

Main Results:

• The EI group showed a significantly higher rate of human milk feeding (75.9%) compared to the SC group (32.1%).
• Infants in the EI group were four times more likely to be exclusively fed human milk.
• Full oral feeding was achieved approximately one week earlier in the EI group (36.8 weeks) versus the SC group (37.9 weeks).

Conclusions:

• Early interventions incorporating parental training and multisensory stimulation positively impact human milk feeding in preterm infants.
• Enhanced maternal self-efficacy and active parental involvement in infant care contribute to improved feeding outcomes in the NICU setting.