“It really is all about the baby.”
Dr. Brown’s Medical™ is here for the baby. We have been supplying families and clinicians a full-range of products for children from preemie through 3 years for over 20 years. What’s best for the baby is of uppermost importance as well as staying abreast of the most current research including neuroprotection, infant brain development and the importance of positive feeding experiences from the start through transition to home.
One negative stressful feeding experience can change the brain of the developing preterm neonate and an associated impression is left for the rest of the child’s life. (Shaker 2017)
What makes the Dr. Brown’s® Zero-Resistance™ bottle system stand out from a traditional bottle or product typically used in NICUs across the globe?
Sub-atmospheric pressure (resistance) is created in a traditional bottle without an internal vent system when an infant sucks on a nipple. The sub-atmospheric pressure in the bottle is dependent on several features:
- Vented nipple
- Amount of suction applied during sucking
- Tightness of the collar
- Size of the nipple hole
The exertion of the higher suction pressures to overcome bottle pressure results in:
- Lower efficiency (ml/min)
- Longer time to feed
- Longer time to full oral feeds
(Lau 2009)
Dr. Brown’s® bottle systems with the internal vent system is vacuum-free, yielding a Zero-Resistance™ bottle system.
Multiple feeders will NOT change the pressure of a Dr. Brown’s® bottle system as with a traditional bottle when –
- The level of tightness of the collar changes pressure/vacuum in a vessel
- Each feeder tightens the collar differently
- Tighter collar on a bottle can increase the pressure/vacuum
- Level of tightness of the collar changes the flow rate
Dr. Brown’s® nipples are internally quality controlled and as reported (Pados 2015, 2018) provide consistent and dependable flow rates performing as designed.
Why does all this matter? Since only 53% of brain cortical volume is present at 34 weeks gestation when an infant is typically learning to orally feed in the NICU (Altimer 2013), neuroprotection is essential.
One component of neuroprotection is incorporating cue-based, infant directed feedings (Altimer 2013, Coughlin 2017) which are safe, functional, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate.
Dr. Brown’s Medical™ can help.
- Use of the vacuum-free, Zero-Resistance™ bottle system can enhance feeding performance
- Assists a coordinated suck/swallow/breathe pattern with the use of the Dr. Brown’s® highly recognized slow flow nipple
- Provides consistency of feeding experiences with an unaltered pressure system in addition to consistent, reliable nipple flow rates
Watch this brief video describing Dr. Brown’s® Zero-Resistance™ bottle system.