A premature infant presents with bursts and pauses during breastfeeding and about two up-and-down jaw cycles per second, while having difficulty bringing hands to the mouth to initiate sucking. This pattern is called:

• A. mouthing
• B. sequential sucking
• C. non-nutritive sucking
• D. nutritive sucking

Answer: (C)

Non-nutritive sucking is the rapid, rhythmic sucking pattern used for soothing rather than for nourishment. It typically shows bursts of sucks with short pauses, and a rate around two up-and-down jaw cycles per second, with little to no swallowing. In premature infants, immature oral-motor control can make it hard to coordinate movements needed to initiate sucking at the breast, so you may see bursts and pauses during attempts to feed and difficulty bringing hands to the mouth. This pattern matches non-nutritive sucking, a comfort behavior rather than a feeding pattern. Nutritive sucking, in contrast, involves longer, more sustained bursts with coordinated swallowing and breathing, signaling actual nourishment. Mouthing is more exploratory lip-and-mouth contact without a true sucking pattern, and sequential sucking implies a different, more organized rhythm not described here.