Open AccessInfant behaviour and maternal adaptation after uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact for 1 hour following birth in northern Uganda
Author(s) -
Kristin Svensson,
Scovia Nalugo Mbalinda,
Eva Nissen,
Beatrice Odongkara,
Peter Waiswa,
Anna Hjelmstedt
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
african journal of midwifery and women's health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2052-4293
pISSN - 1759-7374
DOI - 10.12968/ajmw.2019.0019
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , skin to skin , medicine , feeling , obstetrics , pediatrics , psychology , social psychology
Background/aims Uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact in the first hour after birth increases the chance of exclusive breastfeeding, a practice which improves health outcomes for both mothers and neonates. This study aimed to compare mother–infant pairs who had or did not have skin-to-skin contact 1 hour after birth and investigate infant behaviour and maternal adaptation as a result.Methods This study investigated the impact of skin-to-skin contact on a number of health indicators after birth of both mother and child. Two groups were included: 51 mother–infant pairs with skin-to-skin contact and 152 with no skin-to-skin contact, who were observed for 1 hour after birth. Mothers were interviewed at discharge and at 14 weeks postpartum about their sociodemographic background, ability to interpret their infant's signals and interaction with the infant, their own health and their infant's health and feeding. The Student's t-test and Chi squared test were used to assess the associations between the groups and sociodemographic characteristics. The Cramer's V test was used to assess the effect size for variable latch on. Factor analysis was conducted on statements from interviews on mothers' feelings regarding motherhood.Results More infants latched on in the skin-to-skin contact group and the first breastfeeding was more often directed by the infants, compared to the no skin-to-skin contact group. Mothers in the skin-to-skin contact group were less likely to need help to breastfeed and tended to be more confident that they could provide sufficient milk for their child. They were also more likely to breastfeed longer and took no initiative to supplement the infant during the hospital stay, while mothers in the non-skin-to-skin contact group did so. More mothers in the skin-to-skin contact group believed that their infant could comfort itself.Conclusions The results suggest benefits to uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact between mothers and newborns 1 hour after birth in regard to initiation of breastfeeding, intended time to breastfeed, maternal self-confidence and infant self-regulation. Interventions to promote skin-to-skin contact should be implemented in this setting.