Could a "singing" pacifier make it easier for premature babies to eat? It just might. It turns out that premature babies that receive an interventional therapy combining their mother's voice and a pacifier-activated music player learn to eat more efficiently and can have their feeding tubes removed sooner than other preemies.
"A mother's voice is a powerful auditory cue," said Nathalie Maitre, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Babies know and love their mother's voice. It has proven to be the perfect incentive to help motivate these babies."
During the course of the study, babies that had reached 34 to 36 weeks postmenstrual age, were in stable condition and were able to breathe on their own received treatment for 15 minutes a day for five days in a row. This treatment included a pacifier; when the babies sucked correctly on the device, they were rewarded by hearing their mother singing a lullaby. If they stopped sucking, then the music would stop.
The melodies were both simple and repetitive. They were also within one octave range to make them appealing to the premature babies.
"The mothers were enthusiastic to join the study," said Olena Chorna, a music therapist involved in the study, in a news release. "Some of the mothers were nervous to sing, but we found they were really grateful to be able to do something to help their babies."
In fact, it turns out that the babies who received the pacifier intervention were able to have their feeding tubes removed about a week earlier when compared with other babies. In addition, the babies ate more frequently and developed a stronger sucking ability. They also didn't show any signs of stress during their pacifier sessions.
"The benefits are both medical and emotional as this is a unique way for parents to directly help their children learn a skill crucial to their growth and development," said Maitre in a news release. "It gives parents a small amount of control to improve their baby's medical course, in addition to giving them a bonding experience which will last throughout childhood."
