Author Affiliations: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro (Drs McCune and Perrin); Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Dr Sisk); and Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Dr Check).
J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2024;38(3):280-289. doi: 10.1097/JPN.0000000000000828. Epub 2024 Jul 29.
This study aimed to longitudinally investigate the preterm infant feeding regimens, feeding behaviors, effect on infant growth, and caregiver perceptions and experiences with feeding in the first 4 weeks following hospital discharge.
Preterm infants face high nutritional risk due to their underdeveloped gastrointestinal systems and feeding coordination.
Caregivers of preterm infants were recruited to participate in a weekly telephone survey for the first 4 weeks following the infant's hospital discharge. Responses for infant feeding behaviors and caregiver experiences were scored on a 3-point Likert scale. Growth and feeding data were collected from the infant's first neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) developmental follow-up visit.
Twenty-four caregivers completed the study. Changes in feeding regimens were common (8/24 infants; 33%), with the percentage of infants receiving any human milk feedings decreasing from 70% at hospital discharge to 54% at 4 weeks post-discharge. Poor infant feeding skills were weakly associated with poor caregiver feeding experiences, and 46% of caregivers reported contacting their healthcare provider with feeding-related questions. Thirty-eight percent of infants required nutritional intervention at NICU developmental follow-up visit. Infants who received fortified feedings during the first 4 weeks after hospital discharge grew an average of 2.5 g/day faster than infants who did not receive fortified feedings.
The postdischarge period for preterm infants is characterized by feeding regimen changes, a decrease in human milk use, and caregiver questions about feeding.
Future studies should further investigate the period after hospital discharge to enable better feeding support for preterm infants and their caregivers.
本研究旨在纵向调查早产儿的喂养方案、喂养行为、对婴儿生长的影响，以及出院后 4 周内照顾者对喂养的看法和体验。
由于早产儿的胃肠道系统和喂养协调性尚未发育完全，他们面临着较高的营养风险。
招募早产儿的照顾者参与出院后第一周的每周电话调查，共进行 4 周。婴儿喂养行为和照顾者体验的反应采用 3 分李克特量表进行评分。生长和喂养数据是从婴儿第一次新生儿重症监护病房（NICU）发育随访就诊中收集的。
24 名照顾者完成了研究。喂养方案的变化很常见（24 名婴儿中有 8 名，占 33%），出院时接受任何母乳喂养的婴儿比例从 70%下降到出院后 4 周的 54%。婴儿喂养技能差与照顾者喂养体验差有微弱关联，46%的照顾者报告在喂养方面有问题时会联系医疗保健提供者。38%的婴儿在 NICU 发育随访就诊时需要营养干预。出院后 4 周内接受强化喂养的婴儿比未接受强化喂养的婴儿平均每天多增长 2.5 克。
早产儿出院后的时期以喂养方案的改变、人乳使用量的减少以及照顾者对喂养的问题为特征。
未来的研究应进一步调查出院后的时期，以便为早产儿及其照顾者提供更好的喂养支持。
