Multisensory Early Oral Administration of Human Milk in Preterm Infants

M-MILK is implemented as droplets, at day 3 of life, after every hands-on care, and during the beginning of a full gavage feeding. The infant may be supportively positioned in bed, held skin-to-skin by caregiver, or held/cradled by nurse or caregiver. The nurse draws up 1 mL of milk into the 1-mL syringe from a prepared bottle or enteral feeding syringe. The nurse then proceeds to implement M-MILK while observing the infant's responses closely. The nurse talks to the infant with a soft calm voice while providing gentle touch throughout the intervention. The nurse begins M-MILK by first placing 1-2 drops of milk onto the infant's upper lip, allowing the infant to feel and smell the milk. The nurse gently strokes the infant's lips with a pacifier/swab or infant's fingers. M-MILK will be provided based on infants' responses and cues. M-MILK is concluded if the infant is no longer engaged or has finished the 1 mL of milk.