♥ reduced heart rate increase

  ♥ reduced proportion of crying time

  ♥ reduced duration of first cry and total crying time

Sadly, pain reduction therapies are often underused for routine procedures, and can have detrimental effects including:

  ⚠️greater pain sensitivity later in childhood

  ⚠️disturbance of mother-infant bonding

  ⚠️distress for new parents

When direct nursing is not possible, the individual components of breastfeeding (sucking, sweet taste, and warm contact) may be used separately or in combination. This may be especially useful for preterm infants who may be medically compromised or cannot effectively suck or swallow.

Establish breastfeeding before, and continue during and after the painful procedure while holding baby close to your body for maximal benefit. Watch the video to see the technique in action!