Author: Katsumi Mizuno and Aki Uedo
Source: Pediatrics International, 2001, 43, 251-255
Babies are born knowing how to suck. They suck on a bottle or breast for hunger and they suck on a pacifier or their fingers for comfort. We know that the sucking pattern is different depending whether the baby is sucking for nutrition (eating) versus sucking on a pacifier for comfort. Sucking for comfort (non-nutritive sucking) has a soothing effect and has shorter sucks and less breathing breaks for the baby. Sucking to eat (nutritive sucking) requires the baby to be able to coordinate breathing and sucking.
This study looked at how a baby learns to suck to eat. Some babies cannot eat right away because of medical problems. Do babies have to eat to develop the sucking needed for eating or can using a pacifier for practice and comfort also help develop the sucking pattern needed for eating? That is what this study tries to answer.
This study looked at 4 full term infants who could not eat until 2 months old due to stomach problems. To measure how well the babies learned to suck, the sucking pressure was measured with a silicone tube inserted into a nipple and the sucking efficiency (how much volume the baby ate in a certain amount of time) was measured through out the feeding.
Results showed that the babies, who were now 2 months old or more and had been sucking on a pacifier, had sucking pressure, frequency and duration at their first oral feeding that were the same as a new born baby at their first feeding. The babies all had trouble sucking at first but got better with practice. Measures were taken again at 1 month (the babies were 3 months old or more) and showed that the babies looked the same as normal term infants at 1 month old. These results tell us that sucking on a pacifier, while it may be comforting for the baby does not help them develop the sucking behavior needed for eating. Only practice eating can do that.
The authors mention in the article that there seems to be a critical time frame when you can introduce oral feeding to a baby and have them learn it easily. It is felt that this time may be around 2-3 months and be related to the baby?s automatic need to suck. They note that it becomes more difficult after 6 months to start oral feedings. However, every child is different and should be looked at individually.
|
