DEFINITION
- Includes:
- sucking of fingers
- use of dummies with/without sucrose
INDICATIONS
- Actively promoted for:
- comfort
- pain relief
- maximising nasal CPAP delivery. Can be used for short period to assist in acquisition of an effective seal
- developing the sucking reflex and assisting transition from tube to full breast or bottle feeding
- normal peristalsis helping to alleviate gastro-oesophageal reflux
- Encourage preterm babies not mature enough to suck at feed times to suck on a non-nutritive device during a tube feed
- Form of non-pharmacological pain relief during painful procedures
- Decreases:
- stress
- risk of SIDS (with appropriate sleeping positions)
CAUTIONS
- As baby begins to take more enteral feeds (at around 33 weeks), NNS no longer appropriate as may mask feeding cues
CONSENT
- Before commencing, ensure parents receive written information on suitable use of NNS on NNU
- A signed informed consent form must be held in baby’s medical record
Date updated: 2024-01-10