The relationship between oral feeding and cardiorespiratory regulation of premature infants

Levels of maturity and diseases of premature infants are factors that produce individual differences in cardiorespiratory responses to oral feeding and feeding performances. Recognition of mechanisms and cardiorespiratory regulation of oral feeding may increase sensitivity of clinical observation of nurses and facilitate safe and comfort feeding experiences for premature infants. Four major concepts of this integrated literature review are: (a) The maturation of sucking skills and coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing play an important role in successful oral feeding. (b) There are significant relationships between the feeding performances and cardiorespiratory stability of premature infants in the early period of oral feeding. (c) During the oral feeding period, the reduction of vagal tone will increase the heart rate of premature infants in order to balance physiological metastasis. (d) During the early period of oral feeding, the SaO₂ of premature infants might decrease continually. This condition can be improved gradually with experience of oral feeding. These concepts provide knowledge for assessing feeding readiness and facilitate protocols for safe feeding by reducing the cardiorespiratory workload of premature infants.