Mother-infant skin to skin contact immediately after birth increases breastfeeding

Objectives:
Breastfeeding initiation within the first half hour after birth is one of the World Health Organization recommendations. However, in most hospitals, mother-infant contact and breastfeeding initiation are delayed due to routine mother and infant care. Therefore, this review article has been conducted.

Does mother-infant skin to skin contact (SSC) immediately after birth increase the success rate and duration of first breastfeeding?

Study design:
This review article included a total of 9 RCTs with 597 participants were assigned to the intervention group and 553 participants were assigned to the comparison group.

Results and conclusions:
The investigators found quantitative analysis based on mean differences or odds ratio showed that mother-infant skin to skin contact had a significantly positive effect on success in first breastfeeding [MD =1.90, 95% CI = 0.958 to 2.856, p = 0.00; OR = 2.771, 95% CI = 1.587 to 4.838, p = 0.00] and first breastfeeding duration [MD = 26.627, 95% CI = 1.070 to 52.184, p = 0.041].

The investigators concluded mother-infant skin to skin contact immediately after birth has beneficial effects on breastfeeding and can increase the success rate and duration of the first lactation. Therefore, these findings can be used by healthcare providers in evidence-based decision-making about ways to increase breastfeeding rates.

Original title:
The effect of mother-infant skin to skin contact on success and duration of first breastfeeding: A systematic review and meta-analysis by Karimi FZ, Sadeghi R, […], Khadivzadeh T.

Link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1028455918302766?via%3Dihub

Additional information of El Mondo:
Find more information/studies on food fortification/malnutrition and breastfeeding right here.