The effect of early oral stimulation with breast milk on the feeding behavior of infants after congenital cardiac surgery

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of early oral stimulation with breast milk on the feeding behavior of infants after congenital cardiac surgery. METHODS: Infants with congenital heart disease were randomly divided into the breast milk oral stimulation group (n = 23), physiological saline oral stimulation group (n = 23) and control group (n = 23). Debra Beckman’s oral exercise program was used with breast milk and physiological saline in the breast milk oral stimulation group and the physiological saline oral stimulation group, respectively. The time oral feeding and total oral nutrition were started, the length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and hospital stay, weight and the complications at discharge were recorded for each group and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The time oral feeding and total oral nutrition were started and the length of ICU stay and hospital stay were significantly less in the breast milk oral stimulation group and physiological saline oral stimulation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other indicators between the breast milk oral stimulation group and the physiological saline oral stimulation group, except for the time total oral nutrition began (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in weight or complications at discharge among the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Early oral stimulation exercises with breast milk can help infant patients quickly recover total oral nutrition and reduce the length of ICU and hospital stay after cardiac surgery.