Effect of palady and cup feeding on premature neonates' weight gain and reaching full oral feeding time interval.
BACKGROUND
Premature neonates' feeding is of great importance due to its effective role in their growth. These neonates should reach an independent oral nutrition stage before being discharged from the Neonatal Intensive care Unit. Therefore, the researcher decided to conduct a study on the effect of palady and cup feeding on premature neonates' weight gain and their reaching full oral feeding time interval.


METHODS
This is a clinical trial with a quantitative design conducted on 69 premature infants (gestational age between 29 and 32 weeks) who were assigned to cup (n = 34) and palady (n = 35) feeding groups through random allocation. The first feeding was administrated either by cup or palady method in each shift within seven sequential days (total of 21 cup and palady feedings). Then, the rest of feeding was administrated by gavage.


RESULTS
Mean hospitalization time (cup = 39.01 and palady = 30.4; P < 0.001) and mean time interval to reach full oral feeding (cup = 33.7 and palady = 24.1; P < 0.001) were significantly lower in palady group compared to cup group. Mean weight changes of neonates 7 weeks after the intervention compared to those in the beginning of the intervention were significantly more in palady group compared to the cup group (cup = 146.7 and palady = 198.8; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
The neonates in palady group reached full oral feeding earlier than those of cup group. Subjects' weight gain was also higher in palady group compared to the cup group. Premature neonates with over 30 weeks of gestational age and physiological stability can be fed by palady.
Department of Pediatric and Neonatal Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Maryam
M
Marofi
Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Fatemeh
F
Abedini
Department of Neonatology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Majid
M
Mohammadizadeh
Department of Pediatric and Neonatal Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
Sedigheh
S
Talakoub
Breastfeeding; Iran; cup feeding; neonate nursing; paladai feeding; palady feeding; premature neonates; weight gain