Nonnutritive Sucking Before Oral Feeding of Preterm Infants in Turkey: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background: The use of a pacifier is recommended to support sucking reflex during transition from gavage feeding to oral feeding and ensure readiness for feeding.

Purpose: A randomized controlled experimental design was used to determine the effect of a pacifier given before feeding on physiological characteristics and feeding performance in preterm infants initially fed orally.

Design and methods: The data were obtained from preterm infants (N = 72) born before 31st gestational week, who were admitted to Newborn Intensive Care Unit of a training and research hospital affiliated with Ministry of Health between January 2017-July 2018 and met the case selection criteria. Heart rates, oxygen saturation levels and feeding performances of preterm infants in both groups before, during, and after feeding were compared.

Results: Heart rates of preterm infants in the experimental group were statistically significantly lower (Experimental: 139.64 ± 10.16; Control: 149.31 ± 8.40; p < 0.01) and their oxygen saturation levels were higher (Experimental: 97.22 ± 2.22; Control: 96.33 ± 1.93; p < 0.05). Feeding efficiency rates (Experimental: 1.94 ± 1.19; Control: 0.69 ± 0.34; p < 0.01) and the percentage of food intake (Experimental: 89.5 ± 23.93; Control: 70.86 ± 27.41; p < 0.01) of newborns in the experimental group were statistically significantly higher and their feeding duration was shorter (Experimental: 10.58 ± 8.29; Control: 16.14 ± 8.31; p < 0.01).

Conclusions: It was determined that a pacifier given before feeding is effective on regulating physiological parameters and supporting feeding performance in preterm infants.

Practice implications: The use of a pacifier in the first transition to oral feeding in preterm infants supports their sucking reflex, calms them down, and ensures the readiness for feeding.