Nutrition for Neonates Undergoing Surgery for CHD — Oral Aversion Prevention — Clinical Pathway: Inpatient

Nutrition for Neonates with Congenital Heart Disease Clinical Pathway — CICU

Oral Aversion Prevention

Interventions to Reduce Oral Feeding Aversion

Oral Feeds
NPO
  • Promote positive experiences with touch around face and mouth.
  • Encourage hand-to-mouth stimulation.
  • Offer dry pacifier.
On Trophic Feeds
  • Promote positive experiences with touch around face and mouth.
  • Encourage hand-to-mouth stimulation.
  • Offer dry pacifier.
  • If demonstrating good interest and acceptance of non-nutritive sucking on pacifier:
    • Offer pacifier dips in expressed breast milk or formula.
    • Provide opportunities for non-nutritive sucking at the breast following pumping.
On Enteral Feeds
  • Promote positive experiences with touch around face and mouth.
  • Encourage hand-to-mouth stimulation.
  • Offer dry pacifier.
  • If demonstrating good interest and acceptance of non-nutritive sucking on pacifier:
    • Offer pacifier dips in expressed breast milk or formula.
    • Provide opportunities for non-nutritive sucking at the breast following pumping.
    • Promote positive oral feeding experiences by reading infant’s feeding cues.