Use of a Supplemental Feeding Tube Device and Breastfeeding at 4 Weeks

Background:Mothers having difficulty breastfeeding their infants may use alternative supportive feeding methods. Although a supplemental feeding tube device is commonly used, efficacy for supporting sustained breastfeeding remains unknown.Purpose:To describe supplemental feeding tube device use by breastfeeding mothers as an alternative feeding method through exploration of associations between supplemental feeding tube device use and continued breastfeeding at 4 weeks of infant's age.Method:Forty mothers participated. They were interviewed during the birth hospitalization and at 4 weeks postpartum. Questions addressed use of supplemental feeding tube devices, breastfeeding issues, and continued breastfeeding relationships. We examined the relationship between LATCH scores at 2 to 3 days of life.Results:Breastfeeding mothers who chose to supplement with bottle-feeding instead of use of a supplemental feeding tube device were 30% less likely to continue breastfeeding at a medium/high/exclusive level.Conclusion:Use of the supplemental feeding tube device may help avoid the potentially detrimental effect of bottle-feeding on continued breastfeeding. When new mothers have breastfeeding challenges, some lactation consultants may recommend a supplemental feeding tube device to help continue and better establish breastfeeding. In this study, mothers who used a supplemental feeding tube device during breastfeeding describe their experiences.

Automated summary

This study examined the use of a supplemental feeding tube device by breastfeeding mothers as an alternative feeding method. The results showed that mothers who chose to supplement with bottle-feeding instead of using a supplemental feeding tube device were 30% less likely to continue breastfeeding at a medium/high/exclusive level.