Effect of Immediate Postnatal Skin to Skin Contact between Mother Newborn on Time of Placental Delivery and Initiation of Breastfeeding

Skin-to-Skin Contact (SSC) has a significant positive effect on exclusive breastfeedingand time of placental delivery. It is a cost-effective method to improve the quality of postnatalcare, and is one of the basic steps in achieving Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 oflowering the mortality of the child and improvement of maternal well-being. Objective:Evaluate the effect of immediate postnatal mothers and newborns skin to skin contact on timeof placental delivery and initiation of breast feeding. Setting: This study was conducted at thedelivery room in maternity department at Shaqra General Hospital, Shaqra, Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia. Subjects: A purposive sample of 100 laboring women was divided into studyand control groups (50 for each). Tools: Four tools were used: 1) Laboring WomenStructured Interview schedule, 2) Assessment of Labor and Immediate Postnatal, 3) InfantBreastfeeding Assessment (IBFAT) and 4) Neonatal Assessment. Results: There was asignificant difference between study and control groups regarding (complete placentalseparation, uterine contraction immediately after birth, uterus position between umbilical andpubic bone, and uterine atony). The first breastfeed was 58% more successful in SSC groupas compared to routine hospital care group (RHC) (88% SSC 30% with a p-value of0.001). In SSC group, the mean time to initiate first breastfeeding was 70.8 minutes shorterthan RHC group (37.96 ± 14.80 vs. 108.82± 31.50 minutes; p 0.001). Mean time to achieveeffective breastfeeding was 275.08 minutes earlier in SSC group (121.92 ±39.97 vs. 397±105.54 minutes; p 0.001). Similarly, 82% mothers of SSC group showed a preference forsimilar care in future as compared to 32% in RHC group. Conclusion: SSC was associatedwith shortage in the time of placental delivery as well as, decrease in time between birth andbreastfeeding initiation, more success in the first breastfeeding and longer duration of firstbreastfeeding. Recommendations: Nurses should encourage mothers to practice skin-to-skincontact immediately after birth. Continuous educational and training program concerningbenefits and practice of SSC among health personnel is necessary.