Effectiveness of Non-nutritive Sucking on Feeding Performance among Pre-term Neonates Admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in a Selected Hospital, Karnataka – A Randomised Control Trial

Background: Non-nutritive sucking (NNS) is a self-soothing behaviour, and this technique helps reduce the length of stay in hospital for infants born pre-term. The rationale for this intervention is that NNS facilitates the development of sucking behaviour and also improves the digestion of enteral feedings. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of NNS on feeding performances among pre-term neonates. Methods: A randomised control trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of NNS on feeding performances among 60 pre-term neonates, with 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group, with a gestational age of 32–36 weeks. The feeding performance was assessed using the Early Feeding Skills checklist on the 3 rd , 5 th and 7 th days, which comprises oral feeding readiness, oral feeding skill and oral feeding recovery. Results: The feeding score, compared between the experimental and control groups, revealed statistically significant differences on the 3 rd , 5 th and 7 th days, as assessed by a t -test ( P < 0.001). Thus, it was evident that NNS effectively improves feeding performance in pre-term neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Conclusion: The study’s overall findings indicate that NNS effectively improves feeding performance in pre-term neonates in the NICU.