Speakers - WNSC 2023

Abstract

To investigate how kangaroo mother care (KMC) affects breastfeeding and the time required for full enteral feeding in extremely preterm infants (EPI) receiving non-invasive assisted ventilation.

Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of 145 highly preterm infants in tertiary care who required non-invasive mechanical ventilation. We analyzed the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in the 24 hours before discharge and the time to full enteral feeding during hospitalization.

Results: The rate of exclusive breastfeeding during hospitalization in the KMC group was significantly higher in the KMC group than in the non-KMC group (52.8% vs. 31.5%, p=0.009). The time to full enteral feeding was shorter in the KMC group than in the non-KMC group (43.1 ± 9.6 vs. 48.7 ± 6.9, p<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that KMC was an independent protective factor for improving the exclusive breastfeeding rate (OR=2.430, 95CI:1.235,4.780, P=0.010) and shortening the time to full enteral feeding (β=-5.358, P=0.000), 95CI:-8.086,-2.630, P<0.001) in EPI during hospitalization.

Conclusions: Kangaroo mother care can shorten the time to achieve full enteral feeding and improve the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in extremely preterm infants with non-invasive assisted ventilation.

Keywords: extremely preterm infants; Full enteral feeding; Breastfeeding; Kangaroo mother Care