Calibrated-orifice nipples for measurement of infant nutritive sucking

Abstract

To measure infant nutritive sucking reproducibly, nipple flow resistance must be controlled. Previous investigators have accomplished this with flow- limiting venturis, which has two limitations: flow resistance is highly dependent on fluid viscosity and older infants often reject the venturi nipple. This report describes the validation of calibrated-orifice nipples for the measurement of infant nutritive sucking. The flow characteristics of two infant formulas and water through these nipples were not different those through venturi nipples were (analysis of variance; p < 0.0001) Flow characteristics did not differ among calibrated-orifice nipples constructed from three commercial nipple styles, indicating that the calibrated-orifice design is applicable to different types of baby bottle nipples. Among 3- month-old infants using calibrated-orifice nipples, acceptability was high, and sucking accounted for 85% of the variance in fluid intake during a feeding. We conclude that calibrated-orifice nipples are a valid and acceptable tool for the measurement of infant nutritive sucking.