Oral Feeding and the Late Preterm Infant

This article describes how medical and maturational/developmental problems affect oral feeding success in late preterm infants. Poor feeding is a common reason for readmission to the hospital in infants born at 34 to 37 weeks postconceptual age. As a result of medical issues such as respiratory distress, jaundice, hypoglycemia, and temperature instability, these infants may be prone to poor oral feeding. When compared with their full-term counterparts, innate differences in muscle tone, state regulation, endurance, and suck-swallow-breathe coordination independently or interdependently complicate their transition to full oral feeds. Feeding practices that may facilitate the transition to successful oral feeding are discussed.

Keywords: Late preterm infant, Near-term infant, Transition to oral feeding, Feeding readiness, Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)