Mothers' experiences of skin-to-skin contact with their babies in the immediate postnatal period

Abstract

Early skin-to-skin contact provides physiological, psychological and behavioural benefits to both the mother and infant. Skin-to-skin care has the potential to influence the mother's experience of birth and the immediate postnatal period. The study aimed to assess mothers' experiences of initiating and maintaining skin-to-skin contact with the newborn in the immediate postnatal period. The objectives sought to evaluate mothers' knowledge regarding the benefits of skin-to-skin contact, to assess mothers' experiences of skin-to-skin contact with the newborn at birth, and in the first two postnatal days and to identify if skin-to-skin contact influences mothers' birth experiences, bonding with their infants and infant feeding. A quantitative design was adopted to reach these objectives. A sample of 50 postnatal mothers was selected by convenience sampling from the obstetric wards of a general state hospital. A self-designed questionnaire yielded a 100% response rate. Data was analysed manually. Descriptive statistics were utilised for close-ended questions. Thematic content analysis was employed for open-ended questions. Mothers described skin-to-skin contact with their infant as being a pleasurable, intimate and special experience. All mothers agreed that skin-to-skin contact improved mother-infant bonding and the majority felt it enhanced their birth experience. Mothers expressed happiness, a transition to motherhood and felt skin-to-skin contact reassured the infant. Most mothers experienced skin-to-skin contact immediately at birth. The most frequent time-frame for skin-to-skin contact was 15 to 30 minutes with the main interruptions of skin-to-skin care being dressing and weighing the infant. Less than half of the mothers held their infant skin-to-skin until after the first feed. Midwives were influential in the implementation of, and mothers' knowledge on, skin-to-skin contact. Most mothers stated they were aware of skin-to-skin contact while pregnant. All mothers desired skin-to-skin contact in a subsequent delivery. Recommendations for practice include, maintaining skin-to-skin contact until after the infant's first feed, postponing dressing and weighing of infants and encouraging implementation of skin-to-skin contact in the obstetric wards. Qualitative studies are recommended to better explore mothers' experiences in the local setting.