The effect of a short course of moderate pressure sunflower oil massage on the weight gain velocity and length of NICU stay in preterm infants

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of five-day course of sunflower oil massage with moderate pressure on the weight gain and length of NICU stay in preterm infants. Methods Forty-four healthy preterm infants with a corrected gestational age of 30–36 weeks at the time of the study, were randomly assigned to the study group receiving body massage with sunflower oil and the control group receiving only routine NICU care. The massage was performed three times per day, each session including three consecutive five-minute stages, for five days. The primary outcome was to evaluate the efficacy of a short course of moderate pressure sunflower oil massage on the weight gain velocity. The secondary outcome was to compare the length of NICU stay between the two groups. Results During the study period, the increase in the average daily and fifth-day weight gain was significant in the intervention group. The length of NICU stay was shorter in the intervention group significantly. Conclusion Our findings suggest that even a short course of body massage with sunflower oil for only five days increases preterm infants’ weight gain and decreases their duration of NICU stay significantly.