NHS NIC035 Feeding Readiness Royal United Hospitals Bath User Guide
- May 15, 2024
- NHS
Table of Contents
NHS NIC035 Feeding Readiness Royal United Hospitals Bath
Product Information
- Specifications
- Product Name: Baby Feeding Readiness Guide
- Manufacturer: Neonatal Speech & Language Therapy (SLT) Team
- Recommended Age: Newborns and Premature Babies
- Features: Guides signs indicating baby’s readiness for feeding
Product Usage Instructions
- When is Your Baby Ready to Feed?
- A guide for parents whose baby is tube-fed by the Neonatal Speech & Language Therapy (SLT) Team.
- Signs Your Baby May Be Ready to Start Feeding
- Needs little support with breathing
- Wakes around feed times
- Shows feeding cues/signs
- Is at least thirty-two weeks gestation
- What You Can Do to Help Before Your Baby Is Ready
- Get your baby used to the feeding position
- Practice sucking by using a dummy or finger
- Learn how your baby communicates
- Allow time after medication or care before feeding
- Maintain a calm and quiet environment
- Offer a dummy dipped in expressed breastmilk after the nurse’s approval
FAQs
- Why is it important to recognize signs of readiness for feeding?
- All baby behaviours are a form of communication, and responding to them helps babies learn the meaning of their communication from an early age.
- What are the signs that indicate a baby is not ready to feed or is struggling?
- Furrowed brow
- Hand stretching out
- Limb tension
- Looking uncomfortable
MORE INFO
Signs your baby may be ready to start feeding from a breast or bottle
- Needs little support with breathing
- Waking around feed times
- Showing feeding cues/signs (see next page)
- Is at least thirty-two weeks gestation
What you can do to help before your baby is ready
- Skin-to-skin time – as much time as possible!
- Let your baby go to a newly expressed breast
- Hold your baby during tube feeds so that they get used to the position
- Sucking practice: sucking on a dummy or finger, especially during tube feeds
- Learn how your baby communicates (see next page)
- Give your premature baby time after having medication or care (such as a nappy change) before feeding them
- Keep the environment calm and quiet
- Give a dummy dipped in expressed breastmilk (check with your nurse first that your baby is ready)
Signs a baby is getting ready for a feed
- Why is it important to recognise them?
- All baby behaviours are communication. We want our babies to communicate well when they’re older, so they need to learn that their communication has meaning from an early age. They learn this through you responding to them.
Ready To Feed Or Is Struggling
Signs your baby isn’t ready to feed or is struggling
- Early signs
- Furrowed brow
- Hand stretching out
- Limb tension
- Looking uncomfortable
- Eyes widening
- Mid signs
- Subtle change in colour
- Rapid breathing
- Increased work on breathing
- More dribbling than normal
- Eye-watering
- Late signs
- Gasping for breath
- Sweating
- Gagging/coughing/choking
- Vomiting
- Hiccoughs
- Bubbly/wet/raspy breath sounds
If you see any of these signs, pause then offer your baby the breast or bottle again. If you see any again, stop the feed. If you don’t think your baby has had enough milk, speak to your nurse or SLT. Should you have any queries, please contact the neonatal Speech & Language Therapy (SLT) Team via the Dyson Centre for Neonatal Care (01225 824438 or 01225 824833).
- Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
- Combe Park, Bath, BA1 3NG
- 01225 428331
- www.ruh.nhs.uk.
If you would like this leaflet in email form, large print, braille or another language, please contact the Patient Support and Complaints team on 01225 825656.
- Date of publication: Feb 2024
- Ref: RUH NIC/035
© Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust The RUH, where you matter
- When is your baby ready to feed?
- A guide for parents whose baby is tube-fed
- Neonatal Speech & Language
- Therapy (SLT) Team