PURPOSE: To quantify the milk loss ratio and the length of cup-feeding, and to analyze whether the waste and time expended in ingestion are related to the variables: sex, days of life, corrected gestational age, period of time using orogastric tube, period of time receiving oral feeding, alertness, and signs of stress. METHODS: Twenty premature newborn children, 11 female and nine male, participated on this study. The mean corrected gestational age was 36 weeks, and mean weight during evaluation was 1668 grams. The babies were orally fed for, at least, two days. Their medical files were analyzed regarding sex, gestational age, current weight, days of life, period of time receiving oral feeding, and period of time using orogastric tube, in order to relate these data with cup-feeding offer. For cup-feeding, the newborns were positioned according to World Health Organization standards. The milk administration was carried out using disposable 50-milliliters cups; gauze was placed as a shield, and the length of offer was measured. Later, the gauze was weighed. RESULTS: There was a significant statistical difference between the volumes of accepted (81.5%) and wasted (22.8%) milk, with more acceptance for female newborns and for the babies who did not present signs of stress. The mean length of cup-feeding was 416 seconds. CONCLUSION: Female preterm newborns accepted grater milk volume, and the lesser exposition to stressing factors the bigger the acceptance of milk. The mean length of ingestion was not influenced by the variables analyzed.
Infant, newborn; Infant, premature; Feeding; Infant; Feeding methods
