BSN Nursing Care Plan for Ineffective Infant Feeding Pattern

1. NURSING CARE PLAN
Situation: A month after being discharged from the hospital, a married couple is having difficulties in breastfeeding their 2-month old daughter who was born 7
weeks (2 months) before her due date. Although very eager to care for their firstborn child, the two are inexperienced when it comes to handling infants, even more
on babies of premature birth. As a result, the infant’s weight and growth gradually decreases, due to inconsistent nutritional/oral intake.
ASSESSMENT NURSING
DIAGNOSIS
ANALYSIS PLANNING INTERVENTION RATIONALE EVALUATION
*Subjective:
 “I tried
breastfeeding her
every 3-4 hours, but
the baby seems to
be having
difficulties”
-verbalized by
the infant’s mother
*Objective:
Premature birth of
33 weeks (7
months)
Inability of the infant
to suck effectively
(poor suckling
reflex)
Inability to
coordinate suckling,
swallowing and
breathing
Regurgitation after
feeding
Gradual presence
of infant’s weight
loss
Sunken fontanels
and eyeballs
Poor skin turgor
Ineffective infant
feeding pattern
related to
preterm/
premature birth
AND parents’
lack of
knowledge
regarding the
infant’s feeding
pattern
The nursing
diagnosis of
ineffective
feeding pattern
related to
preterm/
premature birth
is a priority
problem
because
insufficient
nutrient/fluid
intake puts the
infant at risk of
micronutrient
deficiency and
dehydration,
which could
hinder with the
baby’s growth
and
development.
After 12 hours of
nursing
intervention, the
baby will improve
in her intake AND
no signs and
symptoms of
dehydration will be
noted.
Additionally, the
parents will be
more
knowledgeable on
the infant’s
feeding pattern
and follow an
appropriate
feeding pattern
suitable for the
infant.
 Monitor baby’s vital
signs
 Provide a calm, quiet,
non-stimulating
environment while
feeding
 Assess which
alternative method of
feeding is most
effective (eg. bottle,
syringe, etc.)
 Teach parents the
correct positioning
during feeding and
ensure that the baby is
fully awake
 Record and monitor the
baby’s progress with
her feedings
 Explain to the parents
the importance of
proper nutrition among
infants by following the
prescribed feeding
pattern
 Serves as baseline
information; Any
changes will help
indicate the baby’s
conditions
 To obscure any
distractions that may
interfere with the
feeding
 To find an easier and
more efficient feeding
pattern suitable for the
infant
 To promote correct
feeding procedure and
prevent aspiration and
regurgitation
 To keep track of her
spit-ups and how much
the baby has consumed
 To increase the
parents’ understanding
on the nutritional needs
of their infant and
promote strict
compliance to the
correct feeding patterns
After 12 hours of
nursing intervention,
goal partially met the
baby’s improvement
in her intake as she
is able to suckle
sufficiently and
correctly; There are
no signs and
symptoms of
dehydration.
Furthermore, there
was an increase in
the parents’
knowledge on the
normal feeding
pattern of infants
and makes sure to
follow the correct
feeding pattern, by
all means.