No long-term effect of oral stimulation on the intra-oral vacuum in healthy premature infants.

Aim: Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first 6 months of life, but the breastfeeding rate in premature infants is low. We examined the effect of oral stimulation on infant's strength of suction and the relation between this intra-oral vacuum and breastfeeding duration.

Method: Between 2016 and 2018, 211 infants in a Danish neonatal unit were randomised 1:1 and of these 108 to oral stimulation intervention and 103 to control.