Oral Sensorimotor Intervention Enhances Breastfeeding Establishment in Preterm Infants

Objective: To assess the efficacy of an oral sensorimotor intervention on breastfeeding establishment and maintenance in preterm infants. Study Design: Thirty-one preterm infants born <= 34 weeks gestation were randomized into an experimental or control group. The experimental group received a 15-minute program consisting of stroking the peri-oral structures for the first 5 minutes, tongue exercises for the next 5 minutes, followed by non-nutritive sucking for the final 5 minutes. The control group received a sham intervention for the same duration. The interventions were administered once daily for 10 days. The outcomes included: time to attainment of full oral feeding, breastfeeding acquisition (i.e., >= 50% of direct breastfeeding at hospital discharge), breastfeeding skill assessment using the Preterm Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale (PIBBS), length of hospitalization, and breastfeeding maintenance at 3 and 6 months posthospitalization. Results: Full oral feeding was attained earlier in the experimental group compared with the control (10.72.1 vs. 19.3 +/- 3.6 days, p<0.01). This was associated with a greater number of infants in the intervention group acquiring breastfeeding at hospital discharge compared with the controls (n=11 vs. 5, p=0.049). There was no statistical difference in PIBBS score, length of hospitalization, and breastfeeding rates at 3 and 6 months posthospitalization between the two groups (all tests, p>0.32). Conclusions: An oral sensorimotor intervention accelerated the achievement of full oral feeding and enhanced direct breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge only. Provision of an oral sensorimotor intervention is a safe and low-cost intervention that may increase breastfeeding rates in a highly vulnerable population.