Effect of Combined Skin-to-Skin Contact and Kangaroo Care on Breastfeeding and Bonding in Cesarean-Born Newborns

NCT07410754 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MD-PM-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effect of consecutive skin-to-skin contact applied by the mother and father on breastfeeding parameters and parent-infant bonding in babies born by cesarean section. The study includes two groups: an intervention group receiving consecutive skin-to-skin contact by the father followed by the mother, and a control group receiving routine postnatal care. Breastfeeding success and parental bonding will be assessed using validated measurement tools during the early postnatal period and follow-up.

Conditions

Breastfeeding; Skin to Skin Contact; Cesarean Birth; Kangaroo Care

Keywords

Skin-to-Skin Contact; Cesarean Birth; Breastfeeding Outcomes; Maternal Attachment; Paternal Attachment

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS)

  Maternal-infant attachment will be measured using the Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (MPAS). This 19-item Likert-type self-report scale assesses the mother's emotions and thoughts toward her infant.

  3 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Paternal Postnatal Attachment Scale (PPAS)

  3 months

Other Outcomes (1)

• Bristol Breastfeeding Assessment Tool (BBAT)

  3 months

Study Arms (2)

Consecutive Skin-to-Skin Contact Group ( İntervention )

EXPERIMENTAL

Newborns in this group receive consecutive skin-to-skin contact, first applied by the father for 30 minutes immediately after cesarean delivery, followed by skin-to-skin contact with the mother as soon as maternal clinical condition allows. Routine newborn care is provided alongside the intervention.

Behavioral: Intervention

Routine Care Group ( Control )

NO INTERVENTION

Newborns in this group receive routine postpartum and newborn care according to the hospital's standard clinical protocol following cesarean delivery.

Interventions

Intervention BEHAVIORAL

Consecutive skin-to-skin contact is applied to newborns born by cesarean section, first by the father for 30 minutes immediately after birth, followed by skin-to-skin contact with the mother as soon as maternal clinical condition allows. Routine newborn care is provided alongside the intervention.

Consecutive Skin-to-Skin Contact Group ( İntervention )

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Mothers who delivered by cesarean section
• Mothers and fathers willing to participate and provide written informed consent
• Newborns who are stable after birth
• No health conditions in mothers or fathers that would prevent participation in skin-to-skin contact

You may not qualify if:

• Serious maternal or neonatal illness
• Newborns requiring NICU admission
• Mothers or fathers unwilling to participate
• Any maternal or paternal condition preventing the implementation of skin-to-skin contact
• Additional note:
• Eligibility is based on biological sex (female for mothers, male for fathers, newborns of any sex), not on gender identity.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa: lead

Study Sites (1)

Zeytinburnu Avrasya Hospitol

Istanbul, Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Martinez-Hortelano JA, Saz-Lara A, Gonzalez JLG, Cristobal-Aguado S, Iglesias-Rus L, Martinez-Vizcaino V, Garrido-Miguel M. Skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding after caesarean section: A systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies. Int J Nurs Stud. 2025 Jun;166:105038. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2025.105038. Epub 2025 Mar 5.

  PMID: 40086104 BACKGROUND

• Abiha U, Banerjee DS, Mandal S. Demystifying non-invasive approaches for screening jaundice in low resource settings: a review. Front Pediatr. 2023 Nov 20;11:1292678. doi: 10.3389/fped.2023.1292678. eCollection 2023.

  PMID: 38054187 BACKGROUND

• Moore ER, Brimdyr K, Blair A, Jonas W, Lillieskold S, Svensson K, Ahmed AH, Bastarache LR, Crenshaw JT, Giugliani ERJ, Grady JE, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Haider R, Hill RR, Kagawa MN, Mbalinda SN, Stevens J, Takahashi Y, Cadwell K. Immediate or early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2025 Oct 22;10(10):CD003519. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub5.

  PMID: 41120189 BACKGROUND

• Huang Y, Chen L, Wang X, Zhao C, Guo Z, Li J, Yang F, Cai W. Maternal knowledge, attitudes and practices related to neonatal jaundice and associated factors in Shenzhen, China: a facility-based cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2022 Aug 24;12(8):e057981. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-057981.

  PMID: 36002214 BACKGROUND

• Zarei Salehabadei M, Amini L, Haghani S, Sadeghi Avval Shahr H. Postpartum depression and paternal-infant attachment in Iranian fathers. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2025 Mar 27:1-14. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2025.2485120. Online ahead of print.

  PMID: 40150891 BACKGROUND

• Karaman SC, Unal E, Demir H. Investigation of the effect of fathers' postnatal feelings of security on father-infant attachment. J Pediatr Nurs. 2025 Nov-Dec;85:586-592. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2025.09.022. Epub 2025 Sep 27.

  PMID: 41016224 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Related Info

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Breast Feeding

Interventions

Methods

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Feeding Behavior; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Investigative Techniques

Study Officials

• sevil İnal, PhD

  Cerrahpaşa University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Midwifery Department

  STUDY CHAIR

• Paria Mohammadiasl, MSc

  Zeytinburu Avrasya Hospital / Cerrahpaşa University, Midwifery Department

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Paria Study Coordinator / Midwife, MSc

CONTACT

+905526018494; paria.mohammadiasl@ogr.iuc.edu.tr

Sevil Professor/Advisor, PhD

CONTACT

+90 212 866 3700; sevil@iuc.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: Masking was not applied in this study because the skin-to-skin contact intervention cannot be blinded to participants or researchers.
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Paria MOHAMMADİASL

Model Details: This is a randomized, parallel-group interventional study conducted with two arms. The intervention group receives consecutive skin-to-skin contact applied first by the father and then by the mother following cesarean delivery, while the control group receives routine postpartum care. The two groups are followed concurrently and outcomes related to breastfeeding parameters and parent-infant bonding are compared prospectively.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 8, 2026
• First Posted: February 13, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)