Breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact: practices in the first hour of a baby's life

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the practice of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact in the first hour of life in the mother-child binomial in the delivery room. Methods: Exploratory, documentary, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. The study was carried out in a reference maternity hospital in the municipality of Belém, Pará. The sample included 92 puerperal women and their respective newborns. Results: Maternal age ranged from 18 to 40 years. Breastfeeding in the delivery room was practiced by 90.22% of the women, 69.57% within the first hour and 30.43% after the first hour of life. The majority practiced skin-to-skin contact, with 91.30%. There was little difference in the profile of neonates who practiced breastfeeding within 1 hour compared to those who did not.  Conclusion:The research findings indicate that adherence to the practice of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact are in line with national and international findings on its practice, relevant evidence in the provision of care in the transition from extrauterine life. sobre su práctica, evidencia relevante en la prestación de cuidados en la transición de la vida extrauterina.