Breast Milk for Neonatal Vaccination Pain

Abstract

A prospective, double-blinded (caregiver, researcher) randomised experimental study was conducted at the postnatal ward of a tertiary care hospital at Puducherry to identify the effect of twin intervention on pain among neonates receiving Bacillus Calmetteguaorine (BCG) vaccine. The outcome variable of pain level was assessed by using the Neonatal and infant pain Scale (NIPS) in terms of behavioural changes in behaviour and haemodynamic behaviour and variables like respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO2). One hundred and forty-five neonates fulfilling the inclusion criteria were randomly recruited into the study after informed parental consent. One ml of expressed breast milk (EBM) was given to the neonates by sterile syringe 2 min before BCG vaccination and the newborn kept in facilitated tucking position (FT) during vaccination procedure. The behavioural changes of neonates, duration of cry time and selected physiological parameters were recorded before BCG vaccination and after at 0, 3 and 5 min. It was found that the twin Intervention was effective in reducing the level of pain. The mean pain level for EBM group was 3.089 and for control study group it was 3.6. The median crying time was 53.511seconds in EBM at p<0.001 which is less when compared with the control group. To conclude, the “twin intervention” (FT& EBM) significantly reduces pain in neonates while they receive BCG vaccination.