The Effect of Watching Infant Video With or Without Smelling an Infant-Scented Hat With Infant Scent on Anxiety, Milk Volume, Stress, and Attachment in Mothers of Hospitalized Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: An infant's unique scent can significantly foster a deep emotional connection between mother and baby. This study aimed to determine the effect of watching infant video with or without smelling an infant-scented hat on anxiety and breast milk volume (primary outcomes), stress and mother-infant attachment (secondary outcomes) in mothers with hospitalized infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

METHODS

In this randomized controlled trial, 78 mothers were allocated to three groups using block randomization: intervention group 1 (infant-scented hat plus video), intervention group 2 (video only), and a control group (plain hat). The intervention lasted 5 days. All mothers received training on breast pumping and recording their milk volume. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance.

RESULTS

Compared with the control group, both interventions led to significant improvements in state anxiety (Group 1: adjusted mean difference [AMD] = -16.40, 95%CI: -24.56 to -8.24, p < 0.001; Group 2: AMD = -13.83, 95%CI: -21.26 to -6.40, p < 0.001), trait anxiety (Group 1: AMD = -11.54, 95%CI: -16.29 to -6.80, p < 0.001; Group 2: AMD = -11.57, 95%CI: -15.87 to -7.26, p < 0.001), and perceived stress (Group 1: AMD = -2.11, 95%CI: -3.67 to -0.56, p = 0.004; Group 2: AMD = -1.86, 95%CI: -3.39 to -0.33, p = 0.001). Milk volume (mL) in Group 1 was significantly higher than in the control group (Day 3: MD = 37.85, 95%CI: 4.13 to 71.56, p = 0.023; Day 4: MD = 49.13, 95%CI: 9.73 to 88.53, p = 0.010; Day 5: MD = 80.55, 95%CI: 34.85 to 126.26, p = 0.001). On Day 5, milk volume in Group 2 was significantly higher than in the control group (MD = 51.05, 95%CI: 5.17 to 96.93, p = 0.024). Mother-infant attachment scores were significantly higher in Group 1 compared with the control group (MD = 3.56, 95%CI: 0.93 to 6.19, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Scent-infused materials and infant video exposure during NICU hospitalization may reduce maternal anxiety and stress, enhance milk production, and improve attachment, supporting development of targeted NICU interventions.