Currently, breast milk is the main nourishment to be offered to preterm infants, according to the recommendation of national and international organizations for breastfeeding protection, support and incentive. The use of bottles and pacifiers is inadvisable for causing nipple confusion and increasing early weaning. Literature indicates "emptied breast" sucking as an alternative method of non-nutritive sucking stimulation in preterm infants. The aim of this case report was to describe "emptied breast" sucking in premature infants according to duration of gastric tube feeding, length of hospital stay, weight gain and prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at discharge. The sample consisted of 19 infants with mean gestational age of 32 weeks, assisted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the hospital where the study took place. The infants received "emptied breast" sucking stimulation. When the mother was absent, stimulation was performed with a gloved finger. Data analysis used descriptive statistics. The premature infants remained, in average, for 22 days with gastric tube feeding. The preterm infants were, in average, for 30 days in the hospital. Mean weight gain was 23 grams/day. Prevalence of breastfeeding at hospital discharge was 100%. It was observed that non-nutritive sucking on the "emptied breast" can be an effective method to increase the prevalence of breastfeeding at hospital discharge, and as an alternative technique for stimulation of non-nutritive sucking.
Infant; premature; Sucking behavior; Breast; Breast feeding; Weight gain; Mother-child relations
