Effect of immediate and continuous mother–infant skin-to-skin contact on breastfeeding self-efficacy of primiparous women: A randomised control trial

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of mother-infant immediate skin-to-skin contact on primiparous mother's breastfeeding self-efficacy. A randomised control trial. The study was conducted in Omolbanin obstetrics hospital (large tertiary hospital), Mashhad, Iran. 114 18-35 year-old primiparous, Iranian, healthy and full term mothers who anticipated normal vaginal delivery and intended to breastfeed their babies. Skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth and then controlling breastfeeding self-efficacy at 28 days postpartum. Maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy at 28 days postpartum and success in first breastfeeding and mean time of first breastfeeding initiation. A total of 92 mother-infant dyads (47 dyads in skin-to-skin care skin-to-skin contact group and 45 dyads in routine care group) were monitored and analysed. In skin-to-skin contact group, breastfeeding self-efficacy was 53.42±8.57 SD as compared to 49.85±5.50 SD in routine care group which is significantly higher in skin-to-skin contact group (p=0.0003). Successful breastfeeding initiation rate was 56.6% in skin-to-skin contact group as compared to 35.6% in routine care group (p=0.02). Time to initiate first feed was 21.98±9.10 SD min in SSC group vs. 66.55±20.76 min in routine care group (p<0.001). Mother-infant immediate skin-to-skin contact is an easy and available method of enhancing maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy. High breastfeeding self-efficacy increases exclusive breastfeeding duration.