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 Researchers examined data on breastfeeding and infant pain during
needle sticks from 10 previously published studies with a total of
1,066 babies ages one to 12 months.
On average, breastfeeding babies cried for 38 seconds less than
babies who didn’t nurse during vaccinations, researchers report in
the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Pain scores based on
observations of babies’ behavior were also lower when infants were
breastfed during needle sticks than when they were not.
“We already knew that breastfeeding reduced pain during blood
collection in newborn babies,” said lead study author Denise
Harrison, a researcher at the University of Ottawa and Children's
Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
“However we did not know if the same effects would be evident in
older babies beyond the newborn period,” Harrison added by email.
To assess the potential for breastfeeding to curb pain in babies
after the first month of life, researchers analyzed data from
studies that compared nursing to alternative pain relief methods
such as bottles of formula, pacifiers, cuddling, distraction,
topical analgesics, and skin-to-skin contact.
These previously published studies looked at a variety of needle
stick procedures in addition to vaccinations, including blood draws
and intravenous line insertions.
The 38-second reduction in crying time during vaccinations was found
in a pooled analysis of six studies of 547 infants who were
breastfed, given water or offered no interventions during the shots.
Breastfeeding didn’t consistently result in changes in physical
indicators of pain such as heart rate, however.
Pain scores were also lower for babies who nursed during
vaccinations, although the authors note it’s difficult to gauge
discomfort in young infants.
Nursing appeared to be more effective at pain reduction than sugar
water, pain creams or sprays at the injection site, maternal
cuddling or massage, according to data from four studies that
examined these alternatives.
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None of the studies reported any adverse events associated with
breastfeeding.
Beyond the small size of studies included in the analysis, other
limitations of the research review include the lack of data on
breastfeeding for blood samples or drip insertions and the limited
information on babies receiving 12-month vaccinations, the authors
note.
Still, it’s possible that breastfeeding may be an effective pain
reliever because it boosts oxytocin – a hormone associated with
calmness, pain reduction and a sense of wellbeing – in both mothers
and babies, said Barbara Morrison, a researcher at Wichita State
University School of Nursing in Kansas.
“Additionally, the oxytocin calm decreases stress levels, making
infants more relaxed,” Morrison, who wasn’t involved in the study,
added by email.
“The more relaxed one is the less the sensations of pain. Being
separated from mother during a painful procedure causes the infant
to feel abandoned, significantly increasing their stress,” Morrison
said.
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2fbW4uQ Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews, online October 28, 2016.
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
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