The NAAN has issued a statement on cup and finger feeding at
http://www.nann.org/public/articles/details.cfm?id=203

Part of the recommendations state:

"The existing scientific data are insufficient to either support or refute
implementation of the practices of cup and finger feeding of expressed breast
milk to newborns, especially to preterm infants. It is the position of the
National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) that these practices  should
not routinely be implemented in neonatal units. NANN also believes that
neonatal units that choose to implement cup feeding, finger  feeding, or
both should do so only after developing a clinical research protocol to be
used in collecting data on the risks and benefits of the   practice. "

What is interesting to me  is that there is no body of scientific evidence
that states that bottlefeeding preemies is safe, yet this practice remains
embedded within the practice of many NICUS around the world.

I would ask that everyone who is involved with drafting positions and
setting policies to require all practice standards to be evidence-based,
not just select interventions/practices. Bottlefeeding should be reviewed
in the same critical light as cup and finger feeding. Anyone who is a
member of NAAN should go to this website and give their feedback for
evidence based practice for all NICU feeding policies.

Kathleen

Kathleen

Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet, Indep. Consultant
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbblact.html
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