newborn baby drinking from mothers breast

Study Summary

Premature babies benefit from using pacifiers

How non-nutritive sucking can influence the transition to breastfeeding in premature babies.

Effects of pacifier use on transition to full breastfeeding and sucking skills in preterm infants: a randomised controlled trial. 

Kaya, V., & Aytekin, A. 

Journal of clinical nursing, 2017 
Using a pacifier improves non- nutritive sucking abilities (NNS) in premature babies and shortens the period of transition to full breastfeeding. The reduction in the period of time until the baby is exclusively breast- feeding, which is brought about by using a pacifier, is just as significant as the period until the premature baby is able to leave the hospital.

Background

A number of studies have found that using a pacifier helps premature babies as they learn to coordinate breathing, sucking and swallowing.1 In many cases, the transition from tube feeding to full oral feeding is difficult and can last several days. This can lead to insufficient weight gain, a return to tube feeding and an extended stay in hospital. Scientific evidence from these studies shows that pacifiers can have a positive effect on NNS ability in premature babies and ease the transition to oral feeding.

Methodology

This prospective, randomised and con- trolled study was carried out between 1 November 2013 and 1 March 2014 at a neonatal intensive care unit at Atatürk University Hospital in the east of Turkey. 75 premature babies were included in the study and split into two groups.

The premature babies in the first group were given pacifiers while the those in the second group were not.

The following comparisons were made between both groups:

  • The time taken to transition from tube feeding to full breastfeeding.
  • Development of non-nutritive sucking ability.
  • Time until discharge from hospital.

Results

  • The pacifier group saw a significant decrease in the time it took to successfully transition to full breastfeeding compared to the control group.
  • The time until the babies could be discharged from hospital was significantly shorter in the pacifier group than in the control group.
  • The average LATCH score in the pacifier group (48 hours after transition to breast- feeding) and before leaving the hospital was significantly higher in the pacifier group than in the control group.


1e.g.: Yildiz A, Arikan D. The effects of giving pacifiers to premature infants and making them listen to lullabies on their transition period for total oral feeding and sucking success. J Clin Nurs. 2012 Mar; 21(5–6):644–56

MAM Service

You can find the complete study at: mambaby.com/professionals