Non-Nutritive Sucking in the Preterm Infant

Objective  To identify the progression of non-nutritive sucking (NNS) across postmenstrual age (PMA) and to investigate the relationship of NNS with medical and social factors and oral feeding. Study Design  Fifty preterm infants born at ≤32 weeks gestation had NNS assessed weekly starting at 32 weeks PMA with the NTrainer System. Oral feeding was assessed at 38 weeks PMA. Results  There were increases in NNS bursts per minute ( p  = 0.005), NNS per minute ( p p p  = 0.0003) with advancing PMA. Level of immaturity and medical complications were related to NNS measures ( p p  = 0.03; β  = –1.4) was related to feeding success at 38 weeks PMA. Conclusion  Infants demonstrated NNS early in gestation. Variability in NNS scores could reflect medical complications and immaturity. More stable sucking pressure across time was related to feeding success at 38 weeks PMA.