No long‐term effect of oral stimulation on the intra‐oral vacuum in healthy premature infants

Abstract

Aim Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months of life, but the breastfeeding rate in premature infants is low. We examined the effect of oral stimulation on infant's strength of suction and the relation between this intra‐oral vacuum and breastfeeding duration. Method Between 2016 and 2018, 211 infants in a Danish neonatal unit were randomised 1:1 and of these 108 to oral stimulation intervention and 103 to control. Suction was measured as peak vacuum at enrolment and a corrected age of 6 weeks. Breastfeeding duration was registered. Results Vacuum increased from enrolment to a corrected age of 6 weeks in all infants, and no effect of oral stimulation intervention was demonstrated P = .08. Infants born ≤32 gestational weeks had lower vacuum compared with infants born after, 350 vs 398 mbar P < .001. For infants born after 32 gestational weeks, the odds ratio for exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months was 1.99 per 100 mbar increase in vacuum P = .01. Conclusion In our study, infant's intra‐oral vacuum increased with age and was not affected by the oral stimulation intervention. For infants born after 32 gestational weeks, the exclusive breastfeeding rate was positively associated with a strong vacuum.

Effect of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention on Oral Feeding and Weight Gain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…After reading full-text articles, 11 articles were excluded, among them 4 articles were in another language, and the remaining 7 articles did not fulfil the inclusion criteria. [ 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ] In the end, 8 studies were included in SR, out of them 6 research papers were included for MA, and 2 studies were excluded as the outcomes were measured differently.…”

Maternal Reasons for Early Termination of Exclusive Breastfeeding in Premature Infants

“…4 The majority of mothers want to breastfeed, 5 but premature birth is associated with several obstacles for success. 6 The premature infant is physically small, with low muscular strength and neurological immaturity 7,8 and depending on the infant's physical condition, growth, and development, the establishment of breastfeeding is often delayed from weeks to months while the infant is nourished by gavage and the mother expresses milk by breast pump. 9 During this period, the infant is often admitted to a neonatal unit, and lactation depends on early initiation and frequent expressing of milk.…”