Breastfeeding Success With Use of Electric Breast Pump Versus Inverted Syringe Technique in Lactating Women With Inverted Nipple: Open Labelled Randomized Control Trial

Background Inverted nipple is a commonly encountered impediment to proper attachment and latch establishment. Correction of inversion using a disposable syringe represents the conventional method of management. However, it is understudied, cumbersome, and inconvenient. Using electric breast pump represents a more physiological method to achieve correction of inversion. This open-label, randomized control trial investigated syringing versus electric breast pump both in terms of effectiveness in achieving correction of inversion of nipple and patient satisfaction with the use of the assigned intervention. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to compare breastfeeding success by Day 3 postnatal age (achieving correction of inversion of nipple and establishment of direct breastfeeding) in syringing versus electric breast pump in mothers with inverted or flat nipples. The secondary objective was to compare the two methods for the pain experienced by the mother while using syringing versus an electric breast pump. Methodology/Design This was a single-center, open-label randomized control trial performed at a tertiary care neonatal unit in Eastern India, from December 2022 to September 2023. 60 healthy mothers with inverted nipples were randomly allocated to one of two interventions: Group A (n=30, syringing); or Group B (n=30, electric breast pump). Both groups were compared for the establishment of breastfeeding by Day 3 postnatal age and daily maximum pain scores till Day 3 (visual analogue scale). Multivariable logistic regression was used to look for factors independently associated with establishment of breast feeding by Day 3 postnatal period. Chi square test was used to compare the proportions of different outcomes between the groups. Results The primary outcome of establishment of breastfeeding by Day 3 postnatal period was achieved in 18 (60%) mothers in syringe group vs. 17 (56.67%) in the breast pump group, with no statistically significant difference (p=0.793). In the first two days the pain score differences were not statistically significant, but on Day 3, 28 (93.99%) mothers in the electric breast pump group had no/mild pain compared to 22 (73.33%) mothers in the syringe usage group. This difference was statistically significant (p= 0.038). Conclusion In hospital settings where electric breast pump is easily available, the same may be preferred over inverted syringe technique for achieving establishment of breastfeeding by Day 3 postnatal period with minimal nipple pain in mothers. However, further large scale studies will be required to confirm these findings.