Impact of non-pharmacological pain management technique on physiological parameters and duration of cry among neonates while undergoing heel prick

Background: Neonatal heel pricks cause distress, necessitating effective pain management. Minimizing pain is an ethical responsibility of healthcare providers, ensuring both comfort and compassionate care for neonates. This study evaluates 25% dextrose and expressed breast milk for pain relief by assessing vital parameters and crying duration. Methods: Quasi-experimental study was conducted among 14 neonates and assigned to two groups i.e. dextrose group (n=7) received 2 ml of 25% glucose, while the expressed breast milk group (n=7) was given 2 ml of expressed breast milk, administered two minutes before the heel prick procedure. Physiological parameters were assessed using physiological assessment proforma at baseline and following the heel prick procedure. Bio-physiological assessment proforma was validated with reliability coefficients of 0.80. Results: The mean birth weight of neonates was 2920±430 g. The expressed breast milk group had a significantly higher respiratory rate (55.43±2.22 versus 46.57±3.59, p<0.01) and heart rate (150.86±7.01 versus 136.86±3.43, p<0.01) compared to the dextrose group. Oxygen saturation remained similar between both groups (p=0.12). Similarly, 25% dextrose significantly reduced duration of crying compared to the breast milk group. A positive correlation was also observed between heart rate and respiratory rate (0.68, <0.01*) whereas negative correlation was observed between heart rate and oxygen saturation (-0.53, 0.051). Conclusions: The study demonstrates that 25% dextrose more effectively stabilized the physiological parameters with less crying duration than expressed breast milk while undergoing heel prick.