Professor Helen Ball h.l.ball@durham.ac.uk
Professor
Randomised trial of infant sleep location on the postnatal ward
Ball, H.L.; Ward-Platt, M.P.; Heslop, E.; Leech, S.J.; Brown, K.A.
Authors
M.P. Ward-Platt
E. Heslop
Stephen Leech s.j.leech@durham.ac.uk
PGR Student Doctor of Philosophy
K.A. Brown
Abstract
Objective: To determine whether postnatal mother–infant sleep proximity affects breastfeeding initiation and infant safety. Design: Randomised non-blinded trial analysed by intention to treat. Setting: Postnatal wards of the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVI), Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Participants: 64 newly delivered mother–infant dyads with a prenatal intention to breastfeed (vaginal deliveries, no intramuscular or intravenous opiate analgesics taken in the preceding 24 h). Intervention: Infants were randomly allocated to one of three sleep conditions: baby in mother’s bed with cot-side; baby in side-car crib attached to mother’s bed; and baby in stand-alone cot adjacent to mother’s bed. Main outcome measures: Breastfeeding frequency and infant safety observed via night-time video recordings. Results: During standardised 4-h observation periods, bed and side-car crib infants breastfed more frequently than stand-alone cot infants (mean difference (95% confidence interval (CI)): bed v stand-alone cot = 2.56 (0.72 to 4.41); side-car crib v stand-alone cot = 2.52 (0.87 to 4.17); bed v side-car crib = 0.04 (–2.10 to 2.18)). No infant experienced adverse events; however, bed infants were more frequently considered to be in potentially adverse situations (mean difference (95% CI): bed v stand-alone cot = 0.13 (0.03 to 0.23); side-car crib v stand-alone cot = 0.04 (–0.03 to 0.12); bed v side-car crib = 0.09 (–0.03–0.21)). No differences were observed in duration of maternal or infant sleep, frequency or duration of assistance provided by staff, or maternal rating of postnatal satisfaction. Conclusion: Suckling frequency in the early postpartum period is a well-known predictor of successful breastfeeding initiation. Newborn babies sleeping in close proximity to their mothers (bedding-in) facilitates frequent feeding in comparison with rooming-in. None of the three sleep conditions was associated with adverse events, although infrequent, potential risks may have occurred in the bed group. Side-car cribs are effective in enhancing breastfeeding initiation and preserving infant safety in the postnatal ward.
Citation
Ball, H., Ward-Platt, M., Heslop, E., Leech, S., & Brown, K. (2006). Randomised trial of infant sleep location on the postnatal ward. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 91(12), 1005-1010. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.099416
Journal Article Type | Article |
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Publication Date | Dec 1, 2006 |
Deposit Date | Jan 5, 2009 |
Publicly Available Date | Jan 5, 2009 |
Journal | Archives of Disease in Childhood |
Print ISSN | 0003-9888 |
Electronic ISSN | 1468-2044 |
Publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
Peer Reviewed | Peer Reviewed |
Volume | 91 |
Issue | 12 |
Pages | 1005-1010 |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2006.099416 |
Keywords | Bedding-in, Breastfeeding initiation, Post-natal care, Rooming-in, Side-car crib. |
Publisher URL | http://adc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/adc.2006.099416v1 |
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