Comparison of the Effect of Milk Booster Drops and Acupressure on the Milk Volume of Mothers with Premature Infants: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Abstract
Background: Reducing the milk premature neonates receive threatens their lives and growth. Many studies have examined the effectiveness of milk booster drops and acupressure. This study aimed to compare the impact of milk booster drops and acupressure on milk volume in mothers with premature infants. Materials and Methods: This randomized clinical trial was performed in three Children’s Specialized Hospitals of Mashhad, Iran, from June to November 2022. Fifty‑four women with premature neonates were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to milk booster (n = 27) and acupressure (n = 27) groups using permutation blocks. The milk booster group received 30 drops of milk booster drops three times and placebo point pressure for 2 weeks. The acupressure group also performed acupressure twice a day, for 10 min at points Stomach Meridian 16 (ST‑16), PERICARDIUM‑1 (PC‑1), and Extra Point Head and Neck 3a (EX‑HN3), and they also received placebo drops. The volume of milk expressed before the intervention on the 14 day of the intervention was measured using electric breast pumps. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the volume of milk measured by mothers before the intervention in the two groups (p = 0.699). The mean (SD) of the mother’s measured milk volume in the morning shift on the fourteenth day of the intervention in the milk‑booster drop 31.85 (8.68) and acupressure group was 38.07 (9.38) cc (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Acupressure is more effective in increasing mothers’ milk volume, so it is recommended that acupressure be taught to mothers in the neonatal intensive care units.
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