Effectiveness of breastfeeding on pain level during heel prick among neonates: a true experimental study

Vinita Pandey; Diksha Bahuguna; Shikha Pal; Mehvish Khalid; Sonia Sharma

doi:10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20262415

Authors

Vinita Pandey Department of Community Health Nursing, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Diksha Bahuguna Department of Mental health Nursing, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Shikha Pal Clinical Instructor, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Mehvish Khalid Department of OBG, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Sonia Sharma Department of Mental health Nursing, Dev Bhoomi Uttarakhand University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2349-3291.ijcp20262415

Keywords:

Breastfeeding, Heel prick, Neonatal pain, Neonatal infant pain scale, Non-pharmacological analgesia, Newborn, Procedural pain

Abstract

Background: Heel prick is the most common painful procedure performed on healthy term neonates. Repeated untreated procedural pain in the neonatal period is associated with long-term adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes and altered pain thresholds. Breastfeeding is a well-established non-pharmacological analgesic, yet remains underutilized in Indian hospital settings. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of breastfeeding on pain during heel prick among healthy term neonates.

Methods: A true experimental post-test only design was employed. Sixty healthy term neonates (gestational age 37–42 weeks, postnatal age 0–5 days, birth weight ≥2500 g) admitted to the postnatal ward of Civil Hospital, Dehradun, India, were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n=30) receiving breastfeeding during heel prick and a control group (n=30) receiving routine care. Pain was assessed using the validated Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS).

Results: The mean NIPS score was significantly lower in the experimental group (2.03±0.809) compared to the control group (5.80±1.095; t=15.152, p<0.001). In the experimental group, 73.3% of neonates experienced mild-to-no pain and none experienced severe pain, whereas 86.7% of controls experienced severe pain. A statistically significant association was observed between sex and pain level (χ²=6.140, p=0.046).

Conclusions: Breastfeeding is a highly effective, safe and cost-free non-pharmacological analgesic for procedural pain in healthy term neonates. Breastfeeding analgesia should be formally integrated into neonatal pain management protocols in Indian hospitals, with structured nursing training to support implementation.

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