Progression from gastric tube feeds to full suckle feeds and discharge home of preterm infants.

ObjectiveTo estimate the time taken for preterm infants to progress from 50% suckle feeds to full suckle feeds and then to discharge.DesignAn observational, retrospective cohort study.SettingA level 2 and 3 neonatal nursery in a tertiary teaching and referral hospital in Queensland, Australia.Subjects61 consecutive infants born between July 2002 and December 2002 who were born <35 weeks gestational age; admitted for >/= 14 days; and discharged directly home from hospital.Main outcome measuresTime taken to progress from 50% suckle feeds to full suckle feeds and then to discharge.ResultsInfants spent an average of eight days in hospital after they attained four out of eight suckle feeds, six days in hospital after they attained five out of eight suckle feeds, and four days in hospital after reaching full suckle feeds.ConclusionsMost infants will be able to be discharged home within two or three days of achieving five out of eight suckle feeds if discharge planning is started at this stage. This may decrease overall length of stay for these infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]