The Transition to Oral Feedings and Establishing Direct Breastfeeding in the NICU: Literature Review and Best Practices Overview
- Duration: 60 Mins
- Credits: 1 CERP, 1 L-CERP, 1 Nurse Contact Hours, 1 CME
- Handout: Yes
Abstract:
Preterm infants spend a significant amount of time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) mastering the intricacies of both enteral tolerance and oral feeding skills. The prerequisite for discharge often hinges on achieving independent feeding, typically through bottle-feeding. The journey toward oral feeding is a developmental continuum, contingent upon the maturation of the intricate suck-swallow-breathe coordination.
Presently, the methods employed in transitioning premature infants to oral feeds exhibit heterogeneity, lack standardization, and heavily rely on the cultural and experiential background of the caregiver. Notably, breastfeeding tends to be accorded lower priority and is infrequently employed during this transitional phase. The discharge of an exclusively breast-fed infant from the NICU is an even rarer occurrence.
This lecture delves into the developmental milestones that mark the transition to oral feedings, explores current best practices supporting the shift to full oral feeds, and outlines effective strategies for promoting direct breastfeeding during an infant's hospitalization. By gaining insights from current literature on effective oral feeding practices and integrating supportive breastfeeding measures, we strive to elevate breastfeeding rates for the preterm infant.
Learning Objectives:
1. List 4 developmental milestones of a preterm infant when transitioning from non-oral to oral feedings
2. Describe the mechanics of suck-swallow-breathe coordination in a preterm infant.
3. List 3 best practices to support oral feeding skills when transitioning from non-oral to oral feedings
4. List 3 best practices to support direct breastfeeding in the NICU
5. Describe 1 standardized assessment tool to measure infant feeding readiness and infant feeding performance
