Changing Feeding Documentation to Reflect Infant-Driven Feeding Practice

Nipple feeding is a complex task for most preterm or high-risk infants. It requires a skilled and observant caregiver to assist the infant in a pleasurable feeding experience that maximizes intake and minimizes stress. This article presents the traditional progression, method, and documentation routinely used in nurseries, as well as an infant-driven approach to feeding that is beginning to surface in nurseries. The article will review the goals for successful nipple feeding and present the Infant-Driven Feeding Scales to be used as an assessment, a guide for intervention, and a means for documentation of nipple feedings. The scale encompasses infant feeding readiness and quality of nippling, as well as caregiver techniques. The article includes parent use of the scale, as well as a case review using the Infant-Driven Feeding Scales.