Use of a Supplemental Feeding Tube Device and Breastfeeding at 4 Weeks

Mothers having difficulty breastfeeding their infants may use alternative supportive feeding methods. Although a supplemental feeding tube device is commonly used, efficacy for supporting sustained breastfeeding remains unknown.

To describe supplemental feeding tube device use by breastfeeding mothers as an alternative feeding method through exploration of associations between supplemental feeding tube device use and continued breastfeeding at 4 weeks of infant's age.

Forty mothers participated. They were interviewed during the birth hospitalization and at 4 weeks postpartum. Questions addressed use of supplemental feeding tube devices, breastfeeding issues, and continued breastfeeding relationships. We examined the relationship between LATCH scores at 2 to 3 days of life.

Breastfeeding mothers who chose to supplement with bottle-feeding instead of use of a supplemental feeding tube device were 30% less likely to continue breastfeeding at a medium/high/exclusive level.

Use of the supplemental feeding tube device may help avoid the potentially detrimental effect of bottle-feeding on continued breastfeeding.