Effectiveness of maternal-infant skin contact “misc” on thermo-regulation and initiation of breast-feeding

Early skin to skin contact with the mother promotes thermo-regulation, decreases crying and facilitates initiation of breast-feeding, increases breast milk volume, and longer breast-feeding duration.1

Objective: -To determine the effectiveness of maternal-infant skin contact on thermo-regulation and initiation of breast-feeding

Methods: - Using a quasi-experimental time series non-equivalent control group design, the investigator collected data. Sixty mothers and their full term infants were selected using purposive sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental (Group 1) and control group (Group 1) (n=30 in each group). Tools used were baseline proforma of the mother, baseline proforma of the infant, observation checklist to assess the physiological parameters such as body temperature and Apgar score and observation checklist to assess the initiation of breast-feeding. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics such as unpaired‘t’ test, ANOVA for repeated measures, and Fisher’s exact test.

Results:- There was significant difference in thermo-regulation between the groups at different time periods (t(58)=5.00, t(58)=20.77, t(58)=24.37; p<0.001). Significant difference was also found between the breast-feeding scores at various time periods (t(58)=4.88, t(58)=40.40, t(58)=19.00, t(58)=19.00, t(58)=14.90; p<0.001). The experimental group had 100% success in the subsequent feeds because of the maternal-infant skin contact and early initiation.

ANOVA for repeated measures showed that there was significant difference between the different time period with respect to axillary temperature in group 1 and group II (F(4,116)= 63.019,p<0.01; F(4,116)=283.533, p<0.01) and between the breast-feeding scores of Group 1 and Group II (F(4,116) = 80.458, p<0.01, F(4,116) = 6.095,p<0.01) at different time intervals.
Fisher’s exact test used to test the association of MISC with selected variable showed that there was significant association between the selected variables at some time periods.