Objective: Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) between mother and child improves the rates of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in the neonatal period. This study evaluated the effects of two SSC onset times on breastfeeding behavior in the neonatal period. Materials and Methods: A multicenter clinical trial was conducted, with random allocation of participants to two different SSC onset times: immediate (at birth) and early (at 60 minutes of life). Low-risk neonates at birth were included. The researchers responsible for analyzing the data were blinded. The outcomes evaluated were early breastfeeding; EBF in the hospital, in the first week of life, and in the first month; and breastfeeding effectiveness in the neonatal period. Bivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of the onset of SSC on breastfeeding indicators. The relative risk (RR) was reported as an effect measure. Results: A total of 297 neonates were included (immediate SSC, n = 148; and early SSC, n = 149). No differences were found in early breastfeeding (93.6% versus 90.6%; RR 1.6, 95% confidence interval 0.07-3.82), breastfeeding effectiveness, or EBF in the neonatal period. There was an earlier initiation of breastfeeding in the immediate SSC group (22 versus 27 minutes, p < 0.001). Conclusions: No differences in breastfeeding indicators in the neonatal period were observed between groups with different onset times of SSC (immediate versus early) in the neonatal sensitive period among low-risk neonates at birth. Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT02687685.
Keywords: breast feeding; infant; neonatal care; newborn; skin-to-skin contact.