Clinical decisions regarding infant feeding not only affect nutritional status but also respiratory function in medically fragile populations. The articles in this journal self-study examine products designed to promote safe infant feeding and sucking patterns. Importantly, they compare and contrast products so that clinicians are equipped to make informed decisions that do not rely on marketing claims. The first two articles focus on bottle nipple characteristics that promote safe milk ingestion and respiratory effects and the third examines a range of pacifiers to determine which characteristics promote the most productive non-nutritive sucking pattern.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• compare intended versus actual milk flow characteristics of bottle nipples used in clinical settings with preterm or medically fragile infants
• describe pacifier characteristics that affect non-nutritive sucking

Learning Assessment

Online, multiple-choice exam