A specifically designed handkerchief for skin-to-skin care: A randomized controlled trial in Spain

To assess whether the use of a handkerchief specifically designed to facilitate skin-to-skin contact (NeoBulle handkerchief) was effective in increasing skin-to-skin contact in mother-newborn dyads.

A medical intervention study was conducted from 2021 through 2023 in the Hospital Sant Camil (Barcelona). Participants were randomized 1:1 to an intervention (NeoBulle handkerchief) or a standard of care (SoC; towel) group. The primary outcome, to assess whether the intervention could increase the time mother-newborn dyads spent in skin-to-skin contact, was measured in two ways: (1) time in hours of skin-to-skin contact between mother-newborn dyads recorded in a diary and (2) percentage of the total time recorded in the diary that the dyad were in skin-to-skin contact. Secondary outcomes included newborn weight loss, time newborns spent crying and parental satisfaction.

A total of 72 dyads were included in the intervention group and 71 in the SoC group. The mean (SD) time in skin-to-skin contact was significantly longer in the intervention vs. SoC group (Median 6 [IQR: 11.6] vs. 4.5 [IQR: 7.3] h; P = 0.054) and the percentage of hours spent in skin-to-skin contact was higher (18.9 [18.8] vs. 13.3 [14.7]%; P = 0.085). Secondary endpoints were similar between groups.

Use of the Neobulle handkerchief increased the time that mother-newborn dyads spent in skin-to-skin contact and was well accepted by mothers.

NCT04881071. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04881071?term=NCT04881071&rank=1.