Early direct skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn in promoting breastfeeding: A literature review

Introduction: Direct skin-to-skin contact (SSC) between a mother and her newborn creates an optimal environment for neonatal adaptation to extrauterine life. Infants who have SSC with their mothers appear to exhibit a more effective breastfeeding pattern. Objective: The aim of this international literature review is to explore the effectiveness of immediate SSC between mother and newborn in the early postpartum hours in promoting breastfeeding. Method: A systematic review of international literature was conducted using the PubMed database with the following keywords: breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact, newborn, mother, breast-feeding success, and breast-feeding duration. Included studies were required to evaluate the effectiveness of immediate SSC between mother and newborn in promoting breastfeeding. Additionally, studies had to be randomized clinical trials published from 01/01/2010 to 31/8/2020 and written in English. Results: A total of 6 studies were included in the review. The review of these studies indicated that direct skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn enhances the self-efficacy of maternal breastfeeding, significantly increases the success of initial breastfeeding, and promotes the continuation of exclusive breastfeeding. It was also found to extend the duration of the first breastfeeding session and reduce the time to the initiation of the first feeding. Conclusions: Direct skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn is an easily accessible method to enhance the self-efficacy of maternal breastfeeding. The high effectiveness of breastfeeding prolongs the duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Healthcare providers should encourage immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn as a method to increase breastfeeding self-efficacy.