Use of Mothers Milk Odor and White Noise on Pain Management in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Recurrent pain experienced by preterm infants during hospitalization is significant due to its short and long-term negative consequences.

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial examined the effect of the mother's own milk odor and white noise on pain management during heel lance in preterms.

Methods: The data were collected in the neonatal intensive care unit and postpartum services between May and October 2022. The study included 66 infants born between 34 and 37 weeks. Infants were randomly assigned to either the mother's own milk odor, white noise, or control groups. Data were collected using the Premature Infant Pain Profile-Revised Form, Descriptive Information Form, and Follow-Up Chart. Pain was evaluated 5 and 2 minutes before the procedure, at the time and 5 minutes after the procedure by 2 independent nursing academicians/lecturers through video recordings. Frequency, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, one-way ANOVA and repeated measures were used for data analysis.

Results: All groups were similar regarding the descriptive characteristics. The control group had higher heart rates before and after the procedure than the mother's own milk odor and white noise group. Oxygen saturation was higher and pain scores were lower in the white noise and mother's own milk odor group compared to the control group during and after the procedure. There was no difference between the mother's milk odor and white noise groups at any time.

Implications for practice and research: The odor of the mother's milk and white noise may effectively manage pain during heel lance in preterms. Neonatal nurses can adopt these methods as effective non-pharmacological pain management methods.