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Comparison of morning and afternoon feedings in very low birth weight infants
Insights
Morning feedings are harder for very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants than afternoon feedings. VLBW infants show poorer sucking and breathing coordination during morning meals, indicating increased feeding difficulty.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Physiology
- Infant Nutrition
Background:
- Feeding is crucial for the growth and development of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants.
- The coordination of sucking and breathing is a key indicator of feeding efficiency in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare sucking and breathing rhythmicity in VLBW infants during morning versus afternoon feedings.
- To investigate potential differences in feeding performance based on the time of day.
Main Methods:
- Nine VLBW infants were fed at 9 a.m. and nine at 3 p.m.
- Feeding protocols included continuous sucking (CS) and intermittent sucking (IS) periods.
- Respiratory rate, minute ventilation, sucking pressure, and rhythmicity scores were measured.
Main Results:
- Morning-fed VLBW infants exhibited lower respiratory rates and greater decreases in minute ventilation during feeding compared to afternoon-fed infants.
- Sucking pressure during intermittent sucking was lower in the morning feeding group.
- Breathing and sucking rhythmicity scores were significantly lower for morning feedings, indicating poorer coordination.
Conclusions:
- Morning feedings present greater challenges for VLBW infants compared to afternoon feedings.
- The time of day may influence the physiological coordination required for successful infant feeding.
- Further research is warranted to explore interventions to optimize morning feeding for VLBW infants.
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to compare sucking and breathing rhythmicity in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW, < 1,500 g) infants during morning feedings and afternoon feedings. Nine infants were fed at 9 a.m., and nine at 3 p.m. Eight morning-fed infants and 8 afternoon-fed infants had a continuous sucking (CS) period at the beginning of the feeding; 9 morning- and 8 afternoon-fed infants had an intermittent sucking (IS) period during which sucking bursts alternated with sucking pauses. Morning-fed infants had a lower respiratory rate during CS (p < .1) and IS (p < .05), a greater decrease in minute ventilation from the pre-feed period to the CS period (p < .05), and lower sucking pressure during IS (p < .05) than afternoon-fed infants. Breathing and sucking rhythmicity scores were calculated as an indicator of the coordination of sucking and breathing. Morning-fed infants had lower scores than afternoon-fed infants (p < .05). These findings suggest that morning feedings are more difficult than afternoon feedings for VLBW infants and point to the need for further studies to compare morning and afternoon feedings.