Skin-to-Skin Contact With a Sling in Primipar Mothers Who Delivered by Cesarean Section

NCT ID: NCT06502860

Last Updated: 2026-01-30

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 78 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-09-15
• Study Completion Date: 2025-08-11

Brief Summary

The first hours after birth are critical for the physiological and psychological adaptation process of the newborn from intrauterine to extrauterine life. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends skin-to-skin contact as a routine part of care to stabilize the newborn's vital signs and strengthen the mother-infant bond. However, the rate of skin-to-skin contact in women who give birth by cesarean section is lower compared to vaginal deliveries. Considering the global increase in cesarean birth rates, it is necessary to develop appropriate and practical care methods for mothers and newborns who deliver by cesarean section.

The literature has examined the effects of the duration of skin-to-skin contact on breastfeeding initiation, neonatal hypothermia, and cardiopulmonary stability. However, studies aimed at increasing the duration of skin-to-skin contact are limited. This study compares the effects of standard skin-to-skin contact and skin-to-skin contact using a sling on the duration of skin-to-skin contact, postpartum breastfeeding success, and physiological weight loss of the newborn in primiparous mothers who delivered by cesarean section.

Conditions

Breast Feeding; Caesarean Section;Stillbirth

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Experimental Group

The intervention group will receive skin-to-skin contact facilitated by the use of a sling. Immediately after the cesarean section and stabilization, the newborn will be placed against the mother's bare chest using a specially designed sling. This sling will secure the baby in a safe and comfortable position, allowing for continuous close contact. The duration of skin-to-skin contact will be encouraged to last as long as the mother and baby are comfortable, without any set time limits.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

skin to skin with sling

Intervention Type: OTHER

In the intervention group, skin-to-skin contact will be facilitated using a specially designed sling. This approach aims to enhance the quality and duration of skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the newborn.

Control Group

The control group will receive standard skin-to-skin contact without the use of a sling. Immediately after the cesarean section and stabilization, the newborn will be placed directly on the mother's bare chest. This traditional method will involve holding the baby manually to maintain skin-to-skin contact. The duration of skin-to-skin contact will be encouraged to last as long as the mother and baby are comfortable, without any set time limits.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

skin to skin with sling

In the intervention group, skin-to-skin contact will be facilitated using a specially designed sling. This approach aims to enhance the quality and duration of skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the newborn.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy mothers who gave birth by cesarean section
• Primiparous mothers
• Healthy newborns

Exclusion Criteria

• Mothers who gave birth vaginally
• Newborns using formula milk
• Mothers with breastfeeding difficulties
• Preterm newborns
• Multiple births
• Mothers and newborns with unstable health conditions

• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Acibadem University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Merve Coskun

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Merve Coşkun

Ataşehir, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

References

Takahashi Y, Tamakoshi K, Matsushima M, Kawabe T. Comparison of salivary cortisol, heart rate, and oxygen saturation between early skin-to-skin contact with different initiation and duration times in healthy, full-term infants. Early Hum Dev. 2011 Mar;87(3):151-7. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2010.11.012. Epub 2011 Jan 8.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 21220191 (View on PubMed)

Wigglesworth H, Huddy V, Knowles R, Millings A. Evaluating the impact of sling provision and training upon maternal mental health, wellbeing and parenting: A randomised feasibility trial. PLoS One. 2023 Nov 10;18(11):e0293501. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293501. eCollection 2023.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 37948400 (View on PubMed)

Kollmann M, Aldrian L, Scheuchenegger A, Mautner E, Herzog SA, Urlesberger B, Raggam RB, Lang U, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Klaritsch P. Early skin-to-skin contact after cesarean section: A randomized clinical pilot study. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 23;12(2):e0168783. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168783. eCollection 2017.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 28231274 (View on PubMed)

Gouchon S, Gregori D, Picotto A, Patrucco G, Nangeroni M, Di Giulio P. Skin-to-skin contact after cesarean delivery: an experimental study. Nurs Res. 2010 Mar-Apr;59(2):78-84. doi: 10.1097/NNR.0b013e3181d1a8bc.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 20179657 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

2024-5/171

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id