Cue-based oral feeding clinical pathway results in earlier attainment of full oral feeding in premature infants

To study whether a cue-based clinical pathway for oral feeding initiation and advancement of premature infants would result in earlier achievement of full oral feeding. Age of achievement of full oral intake was compared for two groups of preterm infants; a prospective study group vs historic cohort controls. Study infants had oral feedings managed by nurses using a clinical pathway that relied on infant behavioral readiness signs to initiate and advance oral feedings. Controls had oral feedings managed by physician orders. Fifty-one infants (n=28 study and n=23 control) were studied. Gender distribution, gestational age, birth weight and ventilator days were not different between groups. Study infants reached full oral feedings 6 days earlier than controls (36±1 3/7 weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA) vs 36 6/7±1 4/7 weeks of PMA, P=0.02). The cue-based clinical pathway for oral feeding initiation and advancement of premature infants resulted in earlier achievement of full oral feeding.