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Premature infants usually achieve success at oral feeding at a postmenstrual age of 34 to 36 weeks. A delay in this milestone can prolong hospitalization. Researchers used a pacifier-activated music player (PAM) to test the hypothesis that nonnutritive sucking promotes sucking behavior and potentially reduces length of hospital stay.
In a randomized study, 94 preterm infants (gestational age, 34–36 weeks) who received at least half of their feeding enterally and less than half orally were assigned to use or not use a PAM programmed to play their mother singing a preselected song with repetitive rhythm and melodies during nonnutritive sucking for a 15-minute period on 5 consecutive days. Infants in both groups were offered a regular pacifier …