Objective This study was conducted to compare the effects of early flowcup feeding and spoon feeding on sucking success, transition to full oral feeding, and length of hospital stay in premature babies.

Materials and Methods: It was conducted as a cross-sectional, controlled experimental study in the third level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) between November 2020 and November 2021. The population of the study consisted of prematures with a gestational age of 32 weeks and below, who were hospitalized in the clinic where the study was conducted between these dates, the sample consisted of 67 premature babies who met the criteria for inclusion in the study between the study dates without using any sampling method. The infants (n=32) who are in the experimental group in the incubator were evaluated for their readiness for oral intake, and according to the results flowcup feeding was started for three meals a day. In oral feeding limited to 10 minutes, the amount of breast milk determined according to the needs of the baby was given by flowcup. This feeding method was continued until the babies were transferred to the mother's breast. No attempt was made to the infants in the control group (n= 35).

Results: In the study, it was determined that the transition time to full oral feeding was shorter and the discharge breastfeeding diagnostic measurement tool (LATCH) measurement scores were higher in the infants in the experimental group (p<0.05). When the first breastfeeding initiation and discharge gestational weeks were compared, it was found that infants with a smaller gestational week in the experimental group were able to breastfeed and to be discharged from the hospital (p<0.05). It was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups' exit from the incubator and discharge weights, and there was no change in their daily weight gain (p>0.05). It was determined that there was no significant difference between the groups' exit weight from the incubator, their discharge weight, and their daily weight gain (p>0.05).

Conclusion: It has been found that feeding with flowcup has positive effects on the transition to oral feeding and increasing the success of sucking in preterm infants in the incubator. According to the results of our research, as a supportive method for breastfeeding in the NICU we recommend feeding with flowcup.