Randomized controlled trial of early skin‐to‐skin contact: effects on the mother and the newborn

Abstract

This study shows that skin-to-skin care implies better thermal regulation and a better proportion of exclusive breastfeeding at hospital discharge.

Healthy Birth Practice #6: Keep Mother and Baby Together— It’s Best for Mother, Baby, and Breastfeeding

“…The newborn's instinctive behavior while skin-to-skin, enhanced by high levels of oxytocin at birth, may help explain why researchers have found a relationship between early skin-to-skin care and improved breastfeeding outcomes. Babies who had early skin-to-skin care were more likely to exclusively breastfeed at hospital discharge, to be exclusively breastfed after discharge, and to breastfeed for longer durations (Bramson et al, 2010;Gabriel et al, 2010;Moore et al, 2012).…”

“…Timing and duration of early skin-to-skin care also influence breastfeeding outcomes (Bramson et al, 2010;Gabriel et al, 2010;Moore et al, 2012). Shorter intervals between birth and the start of skinto-skin care and longer times spent skin-to-skin after birth improved breastfeeding exclusivity and duration.…”

“…Shorter intervals between birth and the start of skinto-skin care and longer times spent skin-to-skin after birth improved breastfeeding exclusivity and duration. No data show that results vary by mode of birth (since most studies on skin to skin are on Gabriel et al, 2010;Moore et al, 2012;Sobel et al, 2011;Takahashi et al, 2011). Immediate skin-toskin care enables colonization of the newborn to maternal flora (vs. hospital flora) to protect against infection and promotes breastfeeding (Sobel et al, 2011).…”

Vaginal delivery to reduce the risk of hypothermia to newborn

“…The increased temperature occurred in infants given EBI (1.6 ± 1.5°C with the average of 37.1°C) and temperature decreased in infants without any EBI (0.07 ± 0.58°C with the average of 36.7°C [27] The EBI group contributes better to the ability in maintaining the infant temperature [9].…”

The Effect of Mother and Newborn Early Skin-To-Skin Contact on the Duration of Separation and Expulsion of the Placenta

“…Moreover, no negative long-term outcomes were found Skin to skin contact is promoted at delivery by allowing early contact with the newborn, and allowing the mother the time to hold her newborn. This will lead to positive maternal bonding behaviors including eye to eye contact, touching, smiling, talking, and cuddling the newborn [5,6].…”