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The Effect of Non-Nutritive Finger Feeding by Fathers on the Transition to Breastfeeding and Sucking Success in
Zülbiye Demir Barbak1, Fatma Kurudirek1, Hasan Kahveci2
1Department of Child Health and Diseases Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Turkey.
Insights
Father-led non-nutritive finger feeding (NNFF) significantly speeds up breastfeeding transition and reduces hospital stays for premature infants. This intervention also enhances early sucking success, demonstrating its effectiveness in neonatal care.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatrics
- Infant Nutrition
Background:
- Feeding difficulties are common in premature infants, impacting oral motor skills and prolonging hospital stays.
- Non-nutritive finger feeding (NNFF) is recognized for maternal use, but paternal involvement remains understudied.
- Limited research exists on the benefits of father-administered NNFF for premature infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of father-administered NNFF on breastfeeding transition in premature infants.
- To evaluate the effect of paternal NNFF on infant sucking success and duration of hospitalization.
- To assess the feasibility and safety of father-led NNFF in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting.
Main Methods:
- A single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial involving 67 premature infants (29-32 weeks gestation).
- Fathers in the intervention group performed standardized NNFF thrice daily for 7 days; the control group received routine care.
- Primary outcome: time to first successful breastfeeding. Secondary outcomes: LATCH scores (sucking success) and hospitalization duration.
Main Results:
- The NNFF intervention group showed significantly earlier breastfeeding initiation (p=0.005) and acceptance (p=0.010).
- Infants in the intervention group experienced shorter hospitalization durations (p=0.021).
- Logistic regression confirmed NNFF's positive predictive value for breastfeeding initiation, hospital stay, and LATCH scores.
Conclusions:
- Father-led NNFF is a safe and feasible intervention for premature infants.
- This method effectively accelerates the transition to breastfeeding and improves early sucking skills.
- Paternal involvement through NNFF can reduce the length of hospitalization for premature neonates.
Background:
Feeding difficulties in premature infants often delay the transition to breastfeeding, prolong hospitalization, and impact oral motor development. While non-nutritive finger feeding (NNFF) has been studied in maternal care, limited evidence exists on paternal involvement. This randomized controlled trial examined the effect of father-administered NNFF on breastfeeding transition, sucking success, and hospitalization outcomes in premature infants.
Methods:
This single-blind, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted in a Level III NICU in eastern Turkey. Sixty-seven premature infants born at 29-32 weeks of gestation and their fathers were randomized into intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 33) groups. Fathers in the intervention group performed standardized NNFF for 5 minutes, three times daily over 7 consecutive days. The control group received routine care without NNFF. Primary outcome was time to first successful breastfeeding. Secondary outcomes included sucking success (LATCH scores) and hospitalization duration. Statistical analyses included t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, repeated measures ANOVA, and logistic regression.
Results:
The intervention group achieved earlier breastfeeding initiation (9.65 ± 5.78 versus 13.88 ± 6.27 days, p = 0.005), faster breastfeeding acceptance (8.94 ± 5.59 versus 12.61 ± 5.74 days, p = 0.010), and shorter hospitalization (11.79 ± 7.19 versus 15.85 ± 6.76 days, p = 0.021). Logistic regression confirmed the predictive value of NNFF on breastfeeding initiation, hospital stay, and LATCH scores.
Conclusion:
Father-led NNFF is a safe, feasible intervention that accelerates breastfeeding transition, improves early sucking success, and reduces hospitalization in premature infants.
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