Acta Paediatr. 2024 Aug 23. doi: 10.1111/apa.17388. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
AIM: Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) immediately after birth may improve breastfeeding outcomes. This study explored the effect of the duration of SSC in the delivery room on breastfeeding quality and duration.
METHODS: In this prospective observational cohort study, mother-infant pairs practising SSC were categorised into two groups based on SSC duration (≤45 or >45 min). Outcomes included breastfeeding quality in the delivery room and at 24 h of age assessed by the Infant-Breastfeeding Assessment Tool (IBFAT) score, and long-term breastfeeding duration up to 6 months while accounting for potential confounding variables.
RESULTS: The study included 72 mother-infant pairs. SSC for more than 45 min was significantly correlated with longer immediate breastfeeding (65 vs. 19 min, p < 0.001) and higher breastfeeding quality scores immediately after birth (IBFAT score of 10 vs. 7, p < 0.001). Regarding the long-term effect, infants in the extended SSC group were breastfed longer (5.2 vs. 3.7 months, p = 0.005) and had exclusive breastfeeding (4.7 vs. 2.7 months, p > 0.001). No significant confounding variables were identified.
CONCLUSION: Extended SSC (>45 min) correlated with prolonged, higher-quality breastfeeding after birth and longer successful breastfeeding.
PMID:39180237 | DOI:10.1111/apa.17388
