Benefits of Offering Milk Drops

Improved infant state and response
Improved engagement, coordination, and organization
Physiological stability during oral feedings
Improved parent bonding and engagement
Increase in mothers breastfeeding at discharge
Drops of milk stimulates sucking and swallowing
Stimulates neural pathways resulting in peristalsis
Increase in infants waking and alertness prior to cares
Comfort measure for procedures
Decreased time to oral feeding
Decrease NG tubes at discharge
Decrease length of stay
Improved caregiver autonomy

Bingham, Peter M. “Deprivation and Dysphagia in Premature Infants.” Journal of Child Neurology, vol. 24, no. 6, 1 June 2009, pp. 743-749, https://doi.org/10.1177/0883073808329530

El Camino Health link to poster presentation: Graven’s Conference 2025

Griffith T, Janusek L, White-Traut R, Green SJ, Sachin A, Joyce C. Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Multisensory Early Oral Administration of Human Milk (M-MILK) for Very Preterm Infants: Enhancing Stress Regulation, Neurodevelopment, and Oral Feeding Skills. Biol Res Nurs. 2026 Jul;28(3):464-478. doi: 10.1177/10998004261418708. Epub 2026 Jan 19. PMID: 41554032; PMCID: PMC12974252.

Kelich, F., Qanbari Qalehsari, M., Zabihi, A., Jafarian Amiri, S. R., & Danaee, N. (2022). The effect of oropharyngeal mother's milk on nutritional outcomes in preterm infants: A randomized controlled trial. BMC Pediatrics, 22, Article 670. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03706-5

O’Rourke, B., Fuller, K., Parker, L., Moore, T. (2022). Provision of positive oral experiences for premature infants by offering milk drops: A clinical practice change initiative. Journal of Neonatal Nursing. 10.1016/j.jnn.2022.11.014.

Philllips J. Jachlera, S. How to solve feeding disorders without a G-tube (April 21, 2017) Website: https://pediatricsnationwide.org/2017/04/21/how-to-solve-feeding-disorders-without-a-g-tube/

Pickler, R. H., McGrath, J. M., Reyna, B. A., McCain, N., Lewis, M., Cone, S., Wetzel, P., Best, A. (2010). A model of neurodevelopmental risk and protection for preterm infants. The Journal of perinatal & neonatal nursing, 24(4), 356–365.doi:10.1097/JPN.0b013e3181fb1e7

Pineda RG, Neil J, Dierker D, Smyser CD, Wallendorf M, Kidokoro H, Reynolds LC, Walker S, Rogers C, Mathur AM, Van Essen DC, Inder T. Alterations in brain structure and neurodevelopmental outcome in preterm infants hospitalized in different neonatal intensive care unit environments. J Pediatr. 2014 Jan;164(1):52-60.e2. doi: .1016/j.jpeds.2013.08.047. Epub 2013 Oct 17. Erratum in: J Pediatr. 2015 Apr;166(4):1097. PMID: 24139564; PMCID: PMC3872171.

Selman, R., &; Aleksandra Popkowska. (2024). Optimizing Neonatal Prefeeding Habilitation: A Holistic Approach Integrating Neonatal Learning Behaviors, Motor Development, and Evidence-Based Interventions. Neonatal Network the Journal of Neonatal Nursing, 43(4), 199–211. https://doi.org/10.1891/nn-2024-0004

Séassau, Alexia, et al. “Neonatal Care Unit Interventions on Preterm Development.” Children (Basel), vol. 10, no. 6, 2 June 2023, pp. 999 999, https://doi.org/10.3390/children10060999

Shubert, T. R., et al. “Effects of Pacifier and Taste on Swallowing, Esophageal Motility, Transit, and Respiratory Rhythm in Human Neonates.” Neurogastroenterology & Motility, vol. 28, no. 4, 4 Jan. 2016, pp. 532–542, https://doi.org/10.1111/nmo.12748.

You Tube Preemie Chats: webinar: Dr. Marianna Gonzalez – improved breastfeeding outcomes and improved brain growth with Milk Drop research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgxy9oMVhTg 19:53-45:52.