Harding 2014b.

Methods	Parallel‐group randomised controlled trial
Participants	Participants: 59 preterm infants (intervention groups I and II and control) Mean birth weight: 1651 grams Mean gestational age: 31.60 weeks Mean postnatal age: postnatal age not reported, but infants were included in the study when they started to show oral readiness Setting: neonatal unit, UK Inclusion criteria: preterm Exclusion criteria: congenital disorders, intraventricular haemorrhages grade III or IV, severe respiratory problems or necrotizing enterocolitis
Interventions	Experimental group 2: NNS during gavage feeding (n = 20). Parents were encouraged to use a pacifier to elicit 3 sequential sucks and to encourage sequential sucking for a minimum of 5 minutes. Infants received the intervention after they started showing signs of oral readiness. The intervention was provided for a minimum of 3 days until they were taking all of their feeds orally. Description of the pacifier used for the study not provided Control: no NNS (n = 10)
Outcomes	Time taken to achieve full oral feeding Number of days in hospital Type of sucking pattern using the Neonatal Oral Motor Schedule (NOMAS) Average age of gestation for oral feeding
Notes	—
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Low risk	Computer‐generated randomisation
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	"A computer generated randomisation assigned infants to one of three groups"
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes	High risk	"[R]andomized non‐blinded controlled study" Blinding of intervention ‐ no Blinding of outcome assessors ‐ no
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	Low risk	A final total of 60 infants were recruited, and 59 infants completed the offered intervention. At 6 months follow‐up, data were gathered on 56 infants.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Unclear risk	Study protocol not obtained