Effects of surrogate mothering on physiologic stabilization in transitional newborns

This experimental study was conducted to determine whether surrogate mothering during the first hours of life will affect physiologic stabilization in the transitional newborn. Two groups of 8 normal newborns were studied. The treatment was given on cue and consisted of rocking, cuddling, visual and verbal interaction, and non-nutritive sucking to satiety. The control group received routine nursing care. The experimental group's mean axillary temperature correlated with increasing age (r = +.91, p less than .001) and leveled at 2 hours of life at 98.2 degrees F (36.8 degrees C). Control group temperatures fell continuously to 97.4 degrees F (36.3 degrees C) following removal of the newborn from under an infrared heat unit. The experimental group's mean respiratory rate correlated negatively with increasing age (r = -.81, p less than .009). The experimental group's mean heart rate was higher at 3 1/2 hours (p less than .01). The control group's mean heart rate correlated over time (= -.82, p less than .007). Heart murmurs were heard 16 times in 5 controls and 6 times in 3 treated newborns. The frequency difference was significant (p less than .05). Experimental newborns cried an average of 2.1 minutes. This was less (p less than .01) than the controls (38.5 minutes). Electronically measured sucking strength was higher (p less than .001) for the treated newborns (81.5 mm Hg) than for the controls (20.5 mm Hg) prior to the first feeding at 4 hours. The experimental group ingested a mean of 13.75 cc of sterile water at the initial feeding, compared to 5 cc for the controls. Sucking and swallowing difficulty was seen in 6 control and 3 experimental newborns. These data suggest that interaction and soothing by another human facilitates transitional newborn physiologic adaptation.