This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of breast milk olfactory stimulation on physiological responses, oral feeding progression, and body weight in preterm infants.

A repeated measures design with nonequivalent control group was used. The participants were healthy, preterm infants born at a gestational age of 28~32 weeks; 12 in the experimental group and 16 in the control group. Data were collected prospectively in the experimental group, and retrospectively in the control group, by the same methods. Breast milk olfactory stimulation was provided 12 times over 15 days. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and linear mixed models using SPSS 19.

The gastric residual volume (GRV) of the experimental group was significantly less than that of the control group. The heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiration rate, transition time to oral feeding, and body weight were not significantly different between the two groups.

These findings indicate that breast milk olfactory stimulation reduces GRV and improves digestive function in preterm infants without inducing distress.

To examine the effects of body position and time after feeding on gastric residuals in low birth weight infants(LBW).

A repeated measures design was conducted. Twenty LBW infants being fed via indwelling nasogastric tubes were randomly assigned to one of 5 different position orderings. In each position, gastric residuals were measured at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after feeding.

In comparisons of gastric residuals with position and time, the main effects of position and time were statistically significant (F = 5.038, p = 0.001; F = 429.763, p < 0.001, respectively), but the interaction between position and time was found not to be significant. In pairwise comparisons, the gastric residuals were more reduced in the right anterior oblique and prone positions compared with the left lateral position (P < 0.05) and the differences across time periods were significant (p < 0.001).

The body position after feeding has a significant affect on gastric residuals over time in LBW infants. The right anterior oblique or prone position is recommended rather than left lateral position after feeding. Knowledge of the proper position and the pattern of gastric emptying over time after feeding may lead to the development of evidence-based nursing care.