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Table 5 Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool

From: Lingual laser frenotomy in newborns with ankyloglossia: a prospective cohort study

Items

3 points

2 points

1 point

0 point

To get the baby to feed, you:

Placed the baby on the breast as no effort was needed

Used mild stimulation such as unbundling, patting, or burping

Unbundled baby, sat baby back and forward, rubbed baby’s body or limbs vigorously at the beginning and during feeding

Could not be aroused

Rooting

Rooted effectively at once

Needed coaxing, prompting, or encouragement

Rooted poorly even with coaxing

Did not root

How long from placing baby on the breast to latch & suck?

0 – 3 min

3 – 10 min

Over 10 min

Did not feed

Sucking pattern

Sucked well

throughout on one

or both breasts

Sucked on & off but needed encouragement

Sucked poorly, weak sucking; sucking efforts for short periods

Did not suck

  1. Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool (IBFAT) is a validated 4 items-questionnaire describing newborns’ behavior during breastfeeding on a scale from 0 to 12 points; each answer provides a score (0–3 points) proportional to the infant’s efficacy in breastfeeding. Scores ≤ 8 reveal difficult breastfeeding
  2. Abbreviations: IBFAT Infant Breastfeeding Assessment Tool