Relationship between integrated sucking pressures and first bottle-feeding scores in premature infants.

Reasons for delays in initiating premature infant bottle-feeding and the complications associated with various methods of providing nutrition to premature infants are discussed. A quantitative, correlational study was undertaken to assess premature infants' readiness to bottle-feed. Thirty premature infants, weighing 1,230 to 2,020 g were studied to determine the relationship between integrated sucking pressures and bottle-feeding scores. Sucking pressures were measured with research nipples and an electronic suckometer. Feeding ability was measured using a complex research scale and a simpler clinical scale. Feeding scales correlated significantly (r = 0.79, p less than 0.001) while sucking pressures and feeding scores did not correlate significantly. Study limitations may have been responsible for the lack of a significant correlation between sucking pressures and feeding scores. Further research is needed to establish simple, quantitative safety parameters for beginning oral feedings for premature infants.