title: Normal nipple position in term infants measured on breastfeeding ultrasound.
abstract: Nipple position is believed to influence breastfeeding success. To investigate this belief, submental ultrasound images were obtained during breastfeeding of normal term infants. This study measured nipple to hard-soft palate distance (NHSPD) in 18 mother-infant pairs during the first and fourth weeks of life. Median NHSPD was 5 mm (interquartile: 4, 6 mm). There were no significant differences in median NHSPD between first, second, and fifth minutes of feeding (P = .675) or between week 1 and week 4 (P = .320). The nipple was not stationary during feeding, with mean nipple movement of 4.0 -/+ 1.3 mm. Further research is required with more infants to confirm the boundaries of normality for ultrasound measurements of nipple position during successful breastfeeding.
authors.affiliation: Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Lorili Audrey
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Jan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: Philip David
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Dorota A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Doherty
authors.forename: Shani Jean
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Faulkner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001942:Breast Feeding; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009558:Nipples / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology*; D013391:Sucking Behavior; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography