Study on feeding support and the cause of stopping oral feeding in premature infants / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the use of feeding support and influencing factors of oral feeding among premature infants. Methods Totally 103 premature infants with oral feeding problems hospitalized during June to December 2014 were enrolled. The postmenstrual age and feeding support were observed at the time of initiation oral feeding and full oral feeding. Moreover, the progress and performance of oral feeding, the daily increase in weight, the time of body weight regain, the time of assisted ventilation and length of hospital stay and so on were calculated. Results There were 96 premature infants using feeding support at the time of initiation oral feeding and 58 premature infants at the time of full oral feeding. Logistic regression analysis showed that birth gestational age(OR=2.195, P<0.01), birth weight(OR=1.003, P<0.01), severity of illness(OR=0.121, P<0.01) and feeding tolerance(OR=0.007, P<0.01)were important factors of oral feeding among premature infants. Conclusions The premature infants with small gestational age at birth, low birth weight, severity of illness, and feeding intolerance are high risk populations of oral feeding. Nurses should take timely risk assessment and interventions to reduce the occurrence of stopping oral feeding.