Effects of body position and time after feeding on gastric residuals in LBW infants.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of body position and time after feeding on gastric residuals in low birth weight infants(LBW).


METHODS
A repeated measures design was conducted. Twenty LBW infants being fed via indwelling nasogastric tubes were randomly assigned to one of 5 different position orderings. In each position, gastric residuals were measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after feeding.


RESULTS
In comparisons of gastric residuals with position and time, the main effects of position and time were statistically significant (F = 5.038, p = 0.001; F = 429.763, p < 0.001, respectively), but the interaction between position and time was found not to be significant. In pairwise comparisons, the gastric residuals were more reduced in the right anterior oblique and prone positions compared with the left lateral position (p < 0.05) and the differences across time periods were significant (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The body position after feeding has a significant affect on gastric residuals over time in LBW infants. The right anterior oblique or prone position is recommended rather than left lateral position after feeding. Knowledge of the proper position and the pattern of gastric emptying over time after feeding may lead to the development of evidence-based nursing care.
Department of Behavioral Nursing & Health Systems, University of Washington.
Sun Kyung
SK
Hwang
Hyun Ok
HO
Ju
Young Soon
YS
Kim
Hwa Za
HZ
Lee
Young Hae
YH
Kim