Morgan BE, Horn AR, Bergman NJ.
Biol Psychiatry. 2011 Nov 1;70(9):817-25.
BACKGROUND: Maternal-neonate separation (MNS) in mammals is a model for studying the effects of stress on the development and function of physiological systems. In contrast, for humans, MNS is a Western norm and standard medical practice. However, the physiological impact of this is unknown. The physiological stress-response is orchestrated by the autonomic nervous system and heart rate variability (HRV) is a means of quantifying autonomic nervous system activity. Heart rate variability is influenced by level of arousal, which can be accurately quantified during sleep. Sleep is also essential for optimal early brain development.
Hung KJ, Berg O.
MCN Am J Matern Child Nurs. 2011 Sep-Oct;36(5):318-24.
This article describes a quality improvement project in which early skin-to-skin (STS) contact, in the operating room (OR) and during recovery, was used as an intervention to increase the success of breastfeeding initiation among healthy infants after cesarean, at a large, urban, acute care teaching hospital. The nursing role is key for the intervention, but the program involves the entire perinatal team, including the obstetricians, pediatricians, and anesthesiologists.
Lawn JE, Mwansa-Kambafwile J, Horta BL, Barros FC, Cousens S.
Int J Epidemiol. 2010 Apr;39 Suppl 1:i144-54.
Background ‘Kangaroo mother care’ (KMC) includes thermal care through continuous skin-to-skin contact, support for exclusive breastfeeding or other appropriate feeding, and early recognition/response to illness. Whilst increasingly accepted in both high- and low-income countries, a Cochrane review (2003) did not find evidence of KMC’s mortality benefit, and did not report neonatal-specific data.
Objectives The objectives of this study were to review the evidence, and estimate the effect of KMC on neonatal mortality due to complications of preterm birth.
Nyqvist KH, Anderson GC, Bergman N, Cattaneo A, Charpak N, Davanzo R, Ewald U, Ibe O, Ludington-Hoe S, Mendoza S, Pallás-Allonso C, Peláez JG, Sizun J, Widström AM.
Acta Paediatr. 2010 Mar 6. [Epub ahead of print]
The hallmark of Kangaroo Mother Care is the kangaroo position: the infant is cared for skin-to-skin vertically between the mother's breasts and below her clothes, 24 hours/day, with father/substitute(s) participating as KMC providers. Intermittent KMC (for short periods once or a few times per day, for a variable number of days) is commonly employed in high tech neonatal intensive care units. These two modalities should be regarded as a progressive adaptation of the mother-infant dyad, ideally towards continuous KMC, starting gradually and progressively with intermittent KMC.
Renfrew MJ, Craig D, Dyson L, McCormick F, Rice S, King SE, et al.
Health Technol Assess 2009;13(40).
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and costeffectiveness of interventions that promote or inhibit breastfeeding or feeding with breastmilk for infants admitted to neonatal units, and to identify an agenda for future research.
Bystrova K et al.
Birth. 2009 Jun;36(2):97-109.
BACKGROUND: A tradition of separation of the mother and baby after birth still persists in many parts of the world, including some parts of Russia, and often is combined with swaddling of the baby. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare possible long-term effects on mother-infant interaction of practices used in the delivery and maternity wards, including practices relating to mother-infant closeness versus separation.
C C Johnston, F Filion, M Campbell-Yeo, C Goulet, L Bell, K McNaughton and J Byron
Journal of Perinatology (2009) 29, 51–56
Objective: To test if enhancing maternal skin-to-skin contact, or kangaroo mother care (KMC) by adding rocking, singing and sucking is more efficacious than simple KMC for procedural pain in preterm neonates.
Fernando Lamy Filho; Antônio Augusto Moura da Silva; Zeni Carvalho Lamy; Maria Auxiliadora Sousa Mendes Gomes; Maria Elizabeth Lopes Moreira; Grupo de Avaliação do Método Canguru; Rede Brasileira de Pesquisas Neonatais
J Pediatr (Rio J). 2008;84(5):428-435
Objective: To evaluate the results of the kangaroo mother method in Brazil.
Methods: A prospective cohort study comparing 16 units that have or do not have the second phase of the kangaroo mother method: eight were national centers of excellence for the kangaroo mother method (study group) and eight were part of the Brazilian Neonatal Research Network (control group). A total of 985 newborn infants with birth weights of 500 to 1,749 g were enrolled. Multivariate analyses employed multiple linear regression and Poisson regression with robust adjustment.
Erlandsson K, Dsilna A, Fagerberg I, Christensson K.
Birth. 2007 Jun;34(2):105-14.
BACKGROUND: Previous reports have shown that skin-to-skin care immediately after vaginal birth is the optimal form of care for full-term, healthy infants. Even in cases when the mother is awake and using spinal analgesia, early skin-to-skin contact between her and her newborn directly after cesarean birth might be limited for practical and medical safety reasons. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of skin-to-skin contact on crying and prefeeding behavior in healthy, full-term infants born by elective cesarean birth and cared for skin-to-skin with their fathers versus conventional care in a cot during the first 2 hours after birth.
Kerstin Erlandsson, RNM, MNursSci, Ann Dsilna, RN, BSc, Ingegerd Fagerberg, RNT, PhD and Kyllike Christensson, RNM, PhD
Birth 34 (2), 105–114.
Background: Previous reports have shown that skin-to-skin care immediately after vaginal birth is the optimal form of care for full-term, healthy infants. Even in cases when the mother is awake and using spinal analgesia, early skin-to-skin contact between her and her newborn directly after cesarean birth might be limited for practical and medical safety reasons. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of skin-to-skin contact on crying and prefeeding behavior in healthy, full-term infants born by elective cesarean birth and cared for skin-to-skin with their fathers versus conventional care in a cot during the first 2 hours after birth.
Bystrova K et al.
Int Breastfeed J. 2007 May 8;2:9.
BACKGROUND: There are not many studies exploring parity differences in early lactation performance and the results obtained are fairly often contradictory. The present study investigated the effect of different maternity home practices in St. Petersburg, Russia, as well as of physiological breast engorgement and maternal mood, on milk production in primi- and multiparous women on day four. The amount of milk was studied in relation to the duration of "nearly exclusive" breastfeeding.
Nathalie Charpak, Juan G. Ruiz-Peláez, Zita Figueroa de C. and Yves Charpak
Pediatrics 2001;108;1072-1079
Objective. To assess the effectiveness and safety of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) for infants of low birth weight.
Methods. An open, randomized, controlled trial of a Colombian social security referral hospital was conducted. A total of 1084 consecutive infants who were born at < 2000 g were followed, and 746 newborns were randomized when eligible for minimal care, with 382 to KMC and 364 to “traditional” care. Information on vital status was available for 693 infants (93%) at 12 months of corrected age. KMC consisted of skin-to-skin contact on the mother’s chest 24 hours/day, nearly exclusive breastfeeding, and early discharge, with close ambulatory monitoring. Control infants remained in incubators until the usual discharge criteria were met. Both groups were followed at term and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of corrected age. The main outcomes measured were morbidity, mortality, growth, development, breastfeeding, hospital stay, and sequelae.
Evalotte Mörelius, RN, MS, Elvar Theodorsson, MD, PhD and Nina Nelson, MD, PhD
PEDIATRICS Vol. 116 No. 5 November 2005, pp. 1105-1113
Objectives. Mother-infant separation after birth is a well-known source of stress. Parents and preterm infants in neonatal intensive care are separated immediately after birth. Skin-to-skin care is 1 possible method to reduce the separation-dependent stress. The aim of the present study was to investigate how skin-to-skin care influences stress for the mother and the infant in neonatal intensive care.
Jan Winberg
Department of Pediatrics, Q208, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Dev Psychobiol 47: 217-229, 2005.
This article reviews 30 years of work demonstrating that interactions between mother and newborn infant in the period just after birth influence the physiology and behavior of both.
Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2005;90:F500-F504;
A-L Fransson, H Karlsson and K Nilsson
Background: Hypothermia is a major cause of deterioration and death in the neonatal period. Temperature deviations are key signs of illness.
Objective: To determine normal patterns of temperature variation in newborn babies and the influence of external factors.