The Effect of Early Feeding of Full Liquids on Postoperative Infants

Abstract There is a lack of evidence-based guidance for postoperative feeding of infants after outpatient surgeries. This randomized controlled trial tested the hypothesis that infants, aged ≤12 months who are fed formula or milk at home, will have more oral intake, less pain, and less emergence delirium when fed formula/milk as compared with clear liquids in the postanesthesia care unit. Infants were randomized to receive formula/milk or clear liquids as first feeding after outpatient myringotomy and tube insertion. Pain (Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability) and emergence delirium (Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium) scores were recorded and compared immediately and again 15 and 30 minutes after arrival in the postanesthesia care unit. Infants randomized to the formula/milk first-feeding group had significantly more volume of oral feeding intake than infants randomized to the clear liquid first-feeding group (M = 80.5 ml, 95% CI [15, 146], p = .017). There was no significant difference in vomiting, pain scores, or emergence delirium scores between groups. These results support the practice of ad lib feeding of infants who preferred full liquids after outpatient surgical procedures.