Oxygen saturations during breast and bottle feedings in infants with congenital heart disease.

Bottle feeding is commonly advised for infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) based on the belief that breast feeding is too difficult for them. However, studies of preterm infants have shown that greater cardiorespiratory effort occurs during bottle feeding than during breast feeding. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a relationship between feeding method (breast vs. bottle) and oxygen saturations (SaO2) in infants with CHD. In a correlational design, pulse oximetry measured SaO2 during one breast and one bottle feeding in each of 7 infants with CHD. SaO2 during breast feeding is significantly different from SaO2 during bottle feeding (F = 59.72, p < .0001). SaO2 during breast feeding is higher on average and less variable (M = 96.3%, SD = 2.2) than SaO2 during bottle feedings (M = 92.5%, SD = 6.9), indicating that there is less cardiorespiratory stress with breast feeding. None of the infants desaturated (SaO2 < 90%) during breast feedings, whereas four infants desaturated during bottle feedings.