The Effect of the SNS-Based Feeding on Transition to Exclusive Breastfeeding in Preterm Infants

Istanbul Medeniyet University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Preterm Infant; Breastfeeding; Sucking Behavior

Treatments: Device: MEDELA Supplemental nursing system

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05815706

2018-1/20

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study investigated the effect of the Supplemental Nursing System (SNS)-based feeding on the time to transition to exclusive breastfeeding, sucking success, and the time to discharge in preterm infants

Full description

Nutrition is a critical problem in preterm infants. They should initially be enterally fed because they have poor sucking-swallowing-breathing coordination. Once a preterm infant develops that coordination, enteral feeding should be discontinued immediately. Then, the preterm should switch to oral feeding (breastmilk). However, preterm infants are not good at sucking because they get tired too quickly, have poor sucking skills, and lack enough experience. Therefore, we must use alternative supplemental feeding methods (bottle, spoon, dropper, cup, breastfeeding support system, and finger feeding) until preterm infants mature enough to meet their daily nutritional needs by breastfeeding alone (exclusive breastfeeding).

The Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) is an alternative supplemental feeding method that supports the development of sucking skills while providing the preterm infant's nutritional needs. This study investigated the effect of the Supplemental Nursing System (SNS)-based feeding on the time to transition to exclusive breastfeeding, sucking success, and the time to discharge in preterm infants.

Enrollment: 72 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 30 to 34 weeks old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• being between the gestational ages of 30 to 34 weeks
• having a birthweight of ≥1000 g
• having an APGAR score of >6
• having stabilized for 48 hours after receiving mechanical ventilator or continuous positive air pressure or both
• being exclusively gavage-fed with breast and/or formula and ready to switch to oral feeding
• being willing to breastfeed

Exclusion criteria

• having a congenital malformation that may cause asphyxia and affect breathing
• having an intraventricular hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, or periventricular leukomalacia
• having intestinal anomalies or hyperbilirubinemia requiring exchange transfusion
• having respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or other chronic lung diseases.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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72 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group participants were breastfed for ten minutes (five minutes for each breast) every day from the day they started oral feeding until they switched to exclusive breastfeeding. The nurse placed the warmed breast milk or formula in SNS. She then fixed it to the mother's nipples. Each experimental group participant sucked on the two breasts for 15 minutes. Breastfeeding (ten minutes), resting and SNS preparation (five minutes), and SNS feeding (15 minutes) were limited to a total of 30 minutes in light of earlier research.

Treatment:

Device: MEDELA Supplemental nursing system

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

Preterm infants were fed according to the clinical feeding protocol. They were not SNS-fed.