Parent-Facilitated Early Oral-Sensory Experience in the NICU for Feeding Outcomes

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the Parent-Facilitated Early Oral-Sensory Experience (PEOE) program for very preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Very preterm infants (born before 32 weeks gestational age) often face challenges developing oral feeding skills. The PEOE intervention involves training parents to deliver gentle, synchronized oral-sensory stimulation-such as placing small droplets of human milk in the infant's mouth paired with gentle touch, voice, and scent-starting immediately before gavage feedings and potentially continuing into the feeding. This study uses a sequential two-group design. The first group of parents and infants will receive usual NICU care. The second group will receive the PEOE intervention. Researchers will measure how feasible and acceptable the program is for parents and staff, infant physiological responses, feeding skill development, length of hospital stay, and parental emotional well-being.