Facilitated Tucking Position's Effect on Comfort and Breastfeeding
Condition: Breastfeeding, Exclusive; Position; Preterm Birth
MeSH terms: Premature Birth
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study investigated the effect of facilitated tucking in the early postpartum period on
      preterm neonate comfort and breastfeeding performance.
    

Detailed description: 
      Individualized Developmental Care (IDC) offered by NICUs yields positive outcomes in preterm
      neonates and neonates. Those positions should be comfortable and safe to promote
      physiological stability and optimal neuromotor development. The facilitated tucking position
      is the position of the baby in its mother's womb. It calms the neonate and helps it feel safe
      and maintain body control. It also improves sleep quality, stabilizes physiological
      parameters, gives a sense of security, supports motor development, and optimizes energy use.
      The facilitated tucking position makes it easier for preterm neonates to undergo invasive
      procedures (heel blood collection, aspiration etc.). However, there is no published research
      examining the effect of the facilitated tucking position in the early postpartum period on
      physiological parameters, comfort, and breastfeeding performance in preterm neonates.
    

Intervention name(s): Facilitation Tuchking Position
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The nurse placed the neonate in the facilitated tucking position by rolling up a sizeable sterile towel in a U-shape and covering it with covers available in the unit and then placed the neonate in a supine position. The physiological parameters at admission and in the 15th and 30th minutes of facilitated tucking were recorded. In the 30th minute of facilitated tucking, the researcher and the observer nurse completed the COMFORTneo simultaneously but separately. The neonate was in the facilitated tucking position until delivered to its mother. The researcher and the observer nurse had a full view of the neonate's face and body when completing the COMFORTneo, which took them about two minutes. After the neonate stabilized (within the first half an hour to an hour), it was delivered to its mother for breastfeeding based on specialist consent. The first breastfeeding was performed and completed the LATCH by researcher and the observer nurse.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: In this study, stratified sampling was employed based on Gestational age. Two strata, [35-(35+6 days)] and [36-(36+6 days)], were generated to ensure even distribution in terms of Gestational age in each group. First, ninety-two preterm neonates were stratified into two groups (A and B), which were then stratified again into two: [35-(35+6 days)] and [36-(36+6 days)].
A scheme was developed to randomize the gestational weeks of [35-(35+6 days)] and [36-(36+6 days)] into two groups (A and B), resulting in the experimental and control groups stratified by the week of gestation and blocked into paired-groups of (2:2/[35-(35+6 days)]:[36-(36+6 days)]). Permutation was also used to strike a balance between the strata. Block sets were generated for each combination of the prognostic factors (gestational age). The experimental and control groups were then randomized into the strata using a random numbers table.
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care
Keywords: Facilitated tucking; breastfeeding performance; comfort; Preterm