The Nonpharmacological Methods in Reducing the Pain Caused by Orogastric Tube Insertion in Preterm Infants

The newborns were placed in a supine position on a 90 cm2 soft fabric for swaddling procedure. The upper side of the bandage was aligned with the shoulder of the newborn. Newborns' arms were put in a flexion position. The top of the body was completely covered with a bandage. The infant's head can move freely. The swaddling procedure took about one minute. In the study, swaddling process was applied 10 minutes before the painful procedure. The swaddled newborns remained in the swaddling during the procedure and for 5 minutes after the procedure.

In terms of the reliability of the study results, nothing was orally given to the preterm infant at least 30 minutes before the procedure. As recommended in the studies, 2 ml oral breast milk was given to preterm infants before the procedure. In the study, breast milk was given slowly to the upper part of the tongue of each preterm infant from his/her own mother as a single dose before OGT insertion. As a result, preterm was ensured to take all of 2 ml breast milk by reducing the aspiration risk of breastmilk. The breast milk was given without touching the tip of the injector to the newborn's mouth. The preterm infants were not allowed to suck the tip of the injector.

Facilitated tucking was given in supine position by holding the arm and legs of the preterm infant to the body by the researcher. In line with the literature, facilitated tucking was initiated 3 minutes before OGT insertion in order for the newborn to feel the fetal position and to cope with the painful procedure. The preterm was kept in fetal position during the procedure and for 5 minutes after the procedure.

Swaddling procedure was conducted by the researcher to the preterm infant 10 minutes before the OGT insertion procedure. 2 ml breast milk was administered by the researcher to preterm using a sterile injector as a single dose for 2 minutes before OGT insertion procedure. The preterm was remained in swaddling during the OGT insertion procedure and for 5 minutes after the process.

Facilitated tucking method was applied right after giving 2 ml breast milk by the researcher to the preterm 3 minutes before OGT insertion procedure. Preterm newborn remained in facilitated tucking during the procedure and for 5 minutes after the procedure.