THE EFFECTS OF BREAST AND BOTTLE FEEDING ON TRANSCUTANEOUS OXYGEN PRESSURE IN THE SMALL PRETERM INFANT.
Contributors: Rush University, College Of Nursing.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 234
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Preterm infants whose mothers choose to breastfeed are seldom allowed to suckle at the breast until bottle feeding has been established. This approach is based upon the assumption that feeding at the breast would fatigue the preterm infant. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the effects of bottle feeding (BoF) and breastfeeding (BrF) on transcutaneous oxygen pressure (tcPO(,2)) in small preterm infants.

The sample consisted of five mother-infant pairs. Mean infant weight at initial BoF and BrF were 1328g and 1338g, respectively. Each infant served as his or her own control for BoF and BrF until discharge.

The following variables were recorded during BoF and BrF sessions: (a) tcPO(,2); (b) skin temperature; and (c) state. Data from 71 sessions were longitudinally collected from the five mother-infant pairs: 32 for BoF and 39 for BrF.

All infants organized sucking, and coordinated sucking and swallowing during BrF before they did during BoF. Two infants experienced marked and protracted bradycardia during BoF but not during BrF.

Transcutaneous PO(,2) patterns were strikingly dissimilar for BoF and BrF. Rapid and sustained declines in tcPO(,2) accompanied BoF, whereas tcPO(,2) fluctuated minimally around the baseline in a cyclic manner during BrF. Transcutaneous PO(,2) declined progressively following BoF, but not following BrF.

Quantitatively, mean tcPO(,2) at sequential time points (baseline, immediately post-feed, and 10 minutes post-feed) were respectively 57.0, 50.7, and 56.3 mmHg for BrF, and 63.7, 53.5, and 48.9 mmHg for BoF. A repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between feeding mode and these time-dependent changes in mean tcPO(,2) (p < .001).

Mean length of feeding was 12.8 minutes for BoF and 24.8 minutes for BrF (two-way, unpaired t, p < .001). Mean maximum skin temperature change (highest or lowest temperature minus baseline) was +0.20(DEGREES)C for BoF and +0.49(DEGREES)C for BrF (two-way, unpaired t, p < .001).

Although the small sample size requires replication, the practice of delaying BrF until BoF has been established was not supported by study data. On the contrary, during BrF, preterm infants: (a) more effectively coordinated sucking and swallowing; (b) fed longer; (c) experienced greater skin temperature increase; and (d) demonstrated less decline in tcPO(,2).
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-06, Section: B, page: 1871.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--RUSH UNIVERSITY, COLLEGE OF NURSING, 1985.

School code: 0591.