Skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding: A scoping review

Abstract

Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) has been identified as a significant factor in the initiation of proper breastfeeding. The early hours of breastfeeding are essential for establishing adequate breastfeeding in the future. Skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the infant creates a mutual bond that enhances optimum milk production. However, certain factors, such as the environment and separating the baby from the mother for vitamin injections and infant evaluation, influence exclusive breastfeeding. A search on electronic databases was conducted to obtain literature on the topic. The search on CINAHL, PsychInfo, and PubMed generated different studies that underwent a screening process. Thirteen studies were selected after conducting a thorough exclusion exercise. Studies revealed that outcomes indicate that skin-to-skin contact improves the rate of breastfeeding. Further studies are needed to overcome factors that may impede the practice of SSC.