Effect of early micro-breastfeeding on growth rate and postpartum depression in preterm infants with low-birth-weight

Table 1 Comparison of baseline data between two groups

Baseline information	Observer group (n = 36)	Control group (n = 32)	t value/χ2	P value
Gestational age (weeks)	32.25 ± 3.14	32.42 ± 2.95	0.229	0.819
Mode of delivery, n (%)			0.030	0.862
Abdominal delivery	21 (58.33)	18 (56.25)
Eutocia	15 (41.67)	14 (43.75)
Baby sex, n (%)			0.337	0.561
Baby boy	20 (55.56)	20 (62.50)
Baby girl	16 (44.44)	12 (37.50)
Infant Apgar score (points)	7.98 ± 1.04	8.16 ± 1.13	0.684	0.496
Infant birth weight (kg)	1.95 ± 0.26	1.97 ± 0.29	0.299	0.765
Birth length of baby (cm)	42.06 ± 3.25	42.19 ± 3.32	0.176	0.861
Birth head circumference of infants (cm)	31.38 ± 3.63	31.48 ± 3.66	0.113	0.910
Mother's age (years)	26.97 ± 4.48	26.56 ± 4.61	0.372	0.711
Mother's reproductive history, n (%)			0.260	0.610
Primipara	25 (69.44)	24 (75.00)
Multipara	11 (30.56)	8 (25.00)
Maternal pregnancy complications, n (%)			0.315	0.575
Have	28 (77.78)	23 (71.88)
Not have	8 (22.22)	9 (28.12)

Table 2 Comparison of feeding between the two groups

Feeding situation	Observer group (n = 36)	Control group (n = 32)	t value	P value
Time when weight begins to increase (day)	6.49 ± 0.53	7.09 ± 0.61	4.340	< 0.001
Complete emptying time of meconium (day)	6.28 ± 0.92	8.31 ± 1.17	7.996	< 0.001
Recovery time to birth weight (day)	8.81 ± 1.40	10.95 ± 1.64	5.805	< 0.001
Full enteral feeding reaching time (day)	12.29 ± 2.08	15.48 ± 2.27	6.047	< 0.001

Table 3 Comparison of feeding intolerance between two groups, n (%)

Feeding intolerance	Observer group (n = 36)	Control group (n = 32)	χ2	P value
Vomiting	2 (5.56)	9 (28.13)	4.808	0.028
Abdominal distension	1 (3.13)	7 (21.89)	4.254	0.039
Gastric retention	3 (8.33)	10 (31.25)	4.367	0.037

Table 4 Comparison of growth rate between two groups of infants

Growth rate	Observer group (n = 36)	Control group (n = 32)	t value	P value
Weight growth rate (g/day)	15.88 ± 1.57	14.84 ± 1.51	2.776	0.007
Head circumference growth rate (cm/week)	0.63 ± 0.08	0.59 ± 0.05	2.436	0.018
Body length growth rate (cm/week)	0.80 ± 0.12	0.73 ± 0.14	2.220	0.029

Table 5 Comparison of adverse events between the two groups, n (%)

Adverse events	Observer group (n = 36)	Control group (n = 32)	χ2	P value
Infection	1 (2.78)	7 (21.88)	4.254	0.039
Intrahepatic cholestasis	0 (0.00)	5 (15.63)	3.994	0.046
Hyperbilirubinemia	1 (2.78)	8 (25.00)	5.479	0.019
Necrotizing enterocolitis	1 (2.78)	7 (21.88)	4.254	0.039

Table 6 Comparison of postpartum depression scores between the two groups of mothers

Group	n	Mother's EPDS score
		When the child was admitted to hospital	Child was hospitalized for 2 weeks
Observer group	36	11.45 ± 2.88	8.38 ± 1.47
Control group	32	11.23 ± 2.79	9.49 ± 2.35
t value		0.319	2.362
P value		0.751	0.021

EPDS: Edinburgh postpartum depression scale.