Dear Colleagues:
The baby in intensive care nursery that gains weight quickly will go home
sooner. The usual way to promote fast weight gain is to fortify the mothers'
milk.
There is another evidence-based way to promote infant weight gain. Massage
the baby. There is so much good evidence that massaging premature infants
once a shift makes them gain more weight.
Infant massage in the NICU reduces metabolic demand, increases insulin and
other growth factor levels, increasing oxytocin levels (which facilitate
more nutrient absorption from the same amount of food as the villi in the
gut get longer, giving more surface area for absorption), and stimulating
the vagus. Massaged premies and LBW babies also get some protection from
neonatal sepsis.
I've given a presentation on this to NICU staff in some hospitals in my
City. Infant massage is used by less than 1/3 of NICUs in the US....why? It
is cheap, fun, and very effective. And far better for a baby than feeding
them cow protein.
Here's a LONG bibliography:
* *
Correlates of Lactation in Mothers of Very Low Birthweight Infants
Pediatrics 2002; 109(4):
Furman, et al.
Premature infant massage: is it safe?
Pediatric Nursing 1988 14(4); 285-289
White-Traut and Goldman
The Benefits of infant massage: a critical review
Community Practitioner 2005; 78(3):98-102
Newborns in Adverse Conditions: Issues, Challenges and Interventions
J Midwifery Womens Health 2004; 49(suppl 1): 29-34
Davanzo R
The Loving Touch: More than just a therapy
J Neonatal Nursing 2001; 7(6):207-208
Yellott G
Preterm infant massage therapy studies: an American approach
Semin Neonatol 2002; 7:487-494
Field T
Premature Infant Massage in the NICU
Neonatal Network 2003; 22(3):39-45
Beachy JM
Tactile/Kinesthetic Stimulation Effects on Preterm Infants
Pediatrics 1986 (reaffirmed as current in 2007); 77:654-658
Field, T et al.
Therapeutic Touch with Preterm Infants
J Science Healing 2008; 4(4): 249-258
Hanley M
Prenatal, perinatal and neonatal stimulation: A survey of neonatal nurseries
Infant Behavior and Development 2006; 29(1):24-31
Field T et al.
Energy Expenditure in Growing Preterm Infants receiving massage therapy
J Amer College Nutrition 2007; 26(4): 356-359
Lahat et al.
Stable preterm infants gain more weight and slept less after 5 days of
massage therapy
J Pediatr Psychol 2003; 28(6): 403-411
Dieter et al.
Factors that predict which preterm infants benefit most from massage therapy
J Dev Behav Pediatr 1993; 14(3):176-180
Scafidi et al
Massage therapy by mothers and trained professionals enhances infant weight
gain in preterm infants
Early Hum Dev 2002; 67( 1-2): 37-45
Ferber et al.
Massage therapy by parents improves early growth and development
Infant Behavior and Development 2004; 27(4):435-442
Field, T
Maternal-administered physical activity enhances bone mineral acquisition in
premature very low birth weight infants
J Perinatology 2008; 28:432-437
Moyer-Mileur et al.
Preterm Infant Massage elicits consistent increases in vagal activity and
gastric motility that are associated with greater weight gain
Acta Pediatrica 2007; 96:1588-1591
Diego et al.
Vagal Activity, gastric motility and weight gain in massaged preterm
neonates
J Pediatr 2005; 147(1): 50-55
Reif et al.
Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Increased in Preterm Neonates
Following Massage Therapy
J Dev Behav Pediatr 2008
Field et al.
Postpartum Maternal Oxytocin Release by Newborns: Effects of Hand Massage
and Suckling
Birth 2001; 28(1): 13-19
Matthieson, et al.
Massage therapy reduces hospital stay and occurrence of late-onset sepsis in
very preterm neonates
J Perinatology 2008; 28(12):815-820
Mendes and Procianoy
Effects of motor physical therapy on bone mineralization in premature
infants: a randomized controlled study
J Perinatology 2008; 28, 624-631
Vignochi et al.
warmly,
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI
craniosacral therapy practitioner
www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com
--
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI
craniosacral therapy practitioner
www.breastfeedingalwaysbest.com
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