Eating ; physiology ; psychology ; Feeding Behavior ; psychology ; Humans ; Infant ; Sense Organs ; physiology

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effects of non-nutritive sucking on physiological and behavioral state of pre-term infants during tube feeding. METHOD: This nonequivalent, non-synchronized experimental study included 50 pre-term infants. An attempt was made to match gestational age and birth weight of infants in each group. Infants in the experimental group were given a pacifier 2 minutes before, during, and for 2 minutes after tube feeding. Infants in the control group did not get a pacifier. Both groups were tested at three stages for changes in the physiologic state and behavioral state-2 minutes before, during, and 2 minutes after feeding. Date was analyzed with SPSS WIN 10.0 using an chi-square-test, t-test, and repeated measures ANOVA. RESULT: Heart rates and oxygen saturation levels of the two groups were significantly different(P=.001, P=.000). The behavioral states of the two groups were significantly different during and post feeding(P=.000, P=.000). CONCLUSION: This result suggests non-nutritive sucking by using a pacifier is an effective intervention for pre-term infants during tube feeding.
*Enteral Nutrition ; Female ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Behavior/*physiology/psychology ; Infant Care ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature/*physiology/psychology ; Male ; Oxygen Consumption ; *Pacifiers

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the premature infants' responses to infant massage (tactile and kinesthetic stimulation). These responses measured by weight, physiological (vagal tone, heart rate, oxygen saturation) and behavioral responses (behavioral states, motor activities, and behavioral distress). METHODS: This study was conducted using an equivalent control pretest-posttest design. The sample was divided into two groups of 13 infants with gestational age less than 36 weeks at birth, birth weight less than 2000g, and no congenital anomalies. The experimental group received the massage intervention twice daily for 10 days. The data were collected for 10 minutes prior to and 10 minutes after the massage. RESULTS: The vagal tone was significantly higher after massage than before massage in the experimental group, while no change in the control group. The experimental group had significantly higher scores for awake state and motor activity than the control group. Significantly greater awake state, more fidgeting or crying, and increased motor activity were reported after massage than before massage. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that massage therapy might enhance optimal physiological responses and behavioral organization of premature infants. Nursing staff in the NICU can use massage to promote the infant's capability to respond positively to his environment and to provide developmental support for healthy premature infants.
*Weight Gain ; Stress/physiopathology/prevention & control ; *Massage/psychology ; Male ; Infant, Premature/*physiology/*psychology ; Infant, Newborn ; *Infant Behavior ; Humans ; Female ; Autonomic Nervous System/physiology ; Analysis of Variance