An EBP to Promote Early Skin-to-Skin Care Intervention and Mother's Own Milk Feedings in the Extremely Low Birth Weight Population

Abstract

PurposeDescribe an evidence-based process (EBP) to promote early skin-to-skin care (SSC) intervention and increase mother's-own-milk (MOM) feedings at discharge among extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants.DesignThis EBP aimed to address the following clinical question: Among ELBW infants, does early SSC &#ξ2264;16 days of life (DOL), compared to SSC >16 DOL, result in more infants receiving MOM feedings at discharge?SampleA retrospective chart review of 199 ELBW infants.Main Outcome VariableEarly SSC intervention among ELBW infants and MOM at discharge.ResultsEarly SSC intervention increased from 46 to 73 percent among ELBW infants over the EBP period. Frequency of SSC intervention was associated with year of EBP and MOM at discharge (p = <.05). ELBW infants in the early SSC intervention group received more MOM at discharge.