Standardization of sucking patterns during breastfeeding in healthy term neonates: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Nutritive disorders like sucking and swallowing problems are common in infants. The necessity for a clinical tool to assess these issues has never been more evident. This study aims to evaluate sucking patterns and standardize them in healthy neonates. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 223 neonates breastfeeding in the Maternity Ward of Shahid Sayyad Shirazi Hospital, Gorgan, Iran, from April to September 2021 was conducted. Neonatal swallowing skills (maximum sucking pressure and number of sucking actions) were assessed using a swallowing skill assessment device. The 95% confidence interval for maximal sucking pressure and the number of sucking actions within a normal distribution were estimated. RESULTS: Out of 223 infants, 112 (50.2%) were female, 176 (74.9%) were delivered via cesarean section, and their mean birth weight was 3154.48 +/- 371.48 grams. The maximum sucking pressure was -6.82, with a 95% confidence interval of (-13.21, -3.52) in infants. The mean number of sucking actions within a 15-second interval was 6.74, with a 95% confidence interval of (2.23, 20.37). CONCLUSION: Regarding this data and the high prevalence of sucking disorders in preterm infants worldwide, we can employ this information in conjunction with an oral-motor skill assessment tool to evaluate infant sucking patterns in hospitals, clinics, and during home visits.