Sheila asks:  "...wouldn't cup feeding return control to the baby [premie],
who laps the milk at it's own rate, whilst coordinating it's breathing?"
       In the Feb. 2002 issue of JHL is an article by Dowling, et al.,
"Cup-Feeding for Preterm Infants:  Mechanics and Safety."  The authors discovered
that many of the babies actually swallowed far less than the amount that
disappeared from the cup, and they found the missing milk in the babies' bibs.  The
mean duration of cup-feedings was approximately 15 minutes, and the mean volume
of intake was only approx 5-6 ml.  Many of the babies wore out before they
could accomplish adequate intake.  It was a very interesting article that showed
that although the babies "remain physiologically stable, cup-feeding has
questionable efficacy and efficiency."
       Dee

Dee Kassing, BS, MLS, IBCLC
Collinsville, Illinois, in central USA

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