Sucking patterns and behavioral state in 1- and 2-day-old full-term infants

Abstract

Objective: To provide a comprehensive analysis of the temporal structure of sucking in full-term neonates.

Design: Descriptive study.

Setting: Newborn nursery in a city teaching institution.

Patients/participants: Fifty-six full-term infants with a mean birth weight of 3,128±370 g completed sucking assessments on the first and second day of life.

Methods: A 5-minute sucking assessment was completed on the first and second day of life. Instruments included an Infant Nutritive Sucking Apparatus and the Anderson Behavioral Assessment Scale.

Results: The number of sucks (p<.001), intersuck width (p=.008) and interburst width (p<.05) were significantly different between the first and second day of life. On the second day of life the infants generated significantly more sucks, a decrease in interburst width and a decrease in intersuck width. There was a significant increase in the presence of an alert behavioral state from the first to second sucking assessment (p<.01). In addition, with a more alert infant state there was an increased time spent bursting (p<.001).

Conclusion: Our results show that sucking analysis is sensitive to infant status and suggest that the development of sucking methodology can be considered as a useful clinical tool to assess the normal developmental course of sucking patterns.