Exploring the skin-to-skin contact experience during cesarean section

Area of Science:

• Maternal-Neonatal Health
• Cesarean Delivery Outcomes
• Postpartum Care

Background:

• Cesarean delivery is a prevalent surgical procedure in the United States.
• Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) is recognized for its benefits in the neonatal period.
• Understanding the maternal experience of SSC immediately postpartum is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and describe the mother's experience of holding her neonate in skin-to-skin contact (SSC) immediately after cesarean delivery.
• To understand the mother-neonate interaction during SSC in the surgical closure and recovery phases.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic study involving 11 mothers aged 23-38 years with full-term gestations (39.1-40.2 weeks).
• Data collection through observations and interviews with mothers 24-48 hours postpartum.
• Content analysis of observational notes and transcribed interviews.

Main Results:

• The primary theme identified was mutual caregiving, emphasizing the reciprocal relationship and benefits of SSC for both mother and neonate.
• The father's influence on the SSC experience was identified as a contextual factor.
• The cesarean delivery environment was also illuminated as a contextual element impacting the SSC experience.

Conclusions:

• SSC immediately following cesarean delivery facilitates a unique mother-neonate bond characterized by mutual caregiving.
• Advanced practice nurses play a vital role in promoting SSC during cesarean births.
• Nurses can educate patients and influence institutional policies to support SSC in cesarean deliveries.