What Interventions Can Help Improve Feeding Skills?
Several interventions can be employed to improve feeding skills in newborns with neonatal disorders. These interventions often require a multidisciplinary approach involving neonatologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and lactation consultants:
- Positioning: Proper positioning of the infant can facilitate better feeding mechanics. Techniques such as elevated side-lying can help premature babies. - Nipple Selection: Using specialized nipples or bottles that control the flow of milk can assist infants with poor sucking strength or coordination. - Non-Nutritive Sucking: Encouraging non-nutritive sucking on a pacifier can help improve oral-motor skills and prepare the infant for nutritive sucking. - Pacing Techniques: Implementing pacing strategies, such as allowing the baby to rest between sucks, can help manage breathing difficulties. - Supplemental Feeding: In cases where oral feeding is not sufficient, supplemental feeding methods like gavage feeding may be necessary.
