Analgesic effects of breastfeeding on heel lancing
Shendurnikar, N.; Gandhi, K.
Indian Pediatrics 42(7): 730-732
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 16085984 Document Number: 256551
During July-October 2003, a prospective randomized case-control study was conducted in a neonatal care unit of a major teaching institution with maternity services to assess the efficacy of breast feeding as an analgesic [India]. Exclusively breastfed term neonates aged >48 h, >2500 g, with no high risk neonatal factors who will undergo heel lancing were selected for study after well-informed and valid parenteral consent. Neonates who were heel-lanced while being breastfed formed the study group (n=50), whereas those newborns that were heel-lanced after being swaddled and kept on a cradle away from their mothers formed the controls (n=50). Both groups were assessed prior to and 1, 5 and 15 min after the heel lance for behavioural and physiological parameters, and an individual composite score was calculated. Scores of both groups were analysed statistically. Despite comparable pain scores observed at baseline before heel lancing, statistically significant lower scores were observed at 1, 5 and 15 min of lancing in the breastfed group as compared to the control group. Pain scores in the study group were also noted to decline much earlier to a lower value than those of the control group. Thus, breast feeding can be utilized for pain relief during minor procedures for newborns.