Non-nutritive sucking should be used in the enterally fed neonate less than 32 weeks corrected gestational age to promote which outcome?

• A. Mother/child bonding
• B. Weight gain
• C. Correct development of facial and jaw muscles
• D. Oral feeding when developmentally appropriate

Answer: (D)

Non-nutritive sucking in very preterm infants is used to develop the oral-motor skills and coordination needed for feeding, not to provide nutrition. In neonates under 32 weeks corrected gestational age who are enterally fed, the goal is to prepare for oral feeding and to transition to it when the infant demonstrates readiness (appropriate suck-swallow-breathe coordination and developmental maturity). It doesn’t directly cause weight gain since there’s no caloric intake, and while it supports oral motor practice, the primary clinical outcome targeted in this scenario is enabling oral feeding when developmentally appropriate.