Is Inhaled Colostrum as Effective as Inhaled Lavender Essential Oil for Pain Control in Neonatal Frenotomies? A Prospective, Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Neonatal pain must be treated due to its potential short- and long-term adverse effects. A frenotomy is a painful procedure where common strategies to relieve pain (oral sucrose solutions and sucking) cannot be used because the technique is performed on the tongue. Lavender essential oil (LEO) is useful in treating pain during blood sampling, heel punctures, vaccination, and frenotomies. We aimed to determine whether smelling colostrum had similar effects as inhaled LEO during frenotomies.

METHODS

A prospective, randomized clinical trial was carried out with neonates who underwent a frenotomy for ankyloglossia between September 2023 and June 2024. We assessed pain using the NIPS score, heart rate, oxygen saturation, and crying time. After obtaining parental informed consent, we randomized patients into experimental and control groups. In both groups, we performed swaddling, administered 1 mL of oral sucrose, and let the newborn suck for 2 min. In the experimental group, we placed a gauze pad with two drops of colostrum, whereas in the control group, we used one drop of LEO 2 cm under the neonate's nose prior to and during the frenotomy.

RESULTS

We enrolled 142 patients (71 experimental cases and 71 controls). The experimental group showed lower crying times (28.0 vs. 40.2 s, = 0.03). Both groups showed similar NIPS scores (1.4 vs. 1.5, = 0.28). We observed no side effects in either of the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Inhaled colostrum and LEO help relieve pain in neonates who undergo a frenotomy for ankyloglossia and have no side effects. Aromatherapy with colostrum may decrease crying time during the frenotomy.