A longer duration of immediate mother-newborn skin-to-skin contact was associated with higher odds of breastfeeding initiation among neonates delivered vaginally.

BACKGROUND

Immediate mother-newborn skin-to-skin contact (SSC) supports neonatal adaptation and breastfeeding, but the association between SSC duration and breastfeeding outcomes remains unclear.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study collected data from vaginally delivered neonates at a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan between 2024 and 2025. Mother-infant dyads were categorized into no SSC, ∼20-min SSC, and ∼60-min SSC groups. Outcomes included breastfeeding initiation before discharge, the duration from the moment of birth to breastfeeding initiation, neonatal body temperature, and newborn center (NBC) admission. Multivariable logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards models, and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to evaluate the association between SSC duration and the clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Among 500 dyads, breastfeeding initiation increased with SSC duration (49.7%, 69.5%, and 85.1%). Adjusted odds were higher in the 20-min (OR 2.40) and 60-min groups (OR 5.76). Longer SSC was associated with a higher likelihood of both earlier and more frequent breastfeeding initiation (p < 0.001), without increased NBC admission.

CONCLUSIONS

Longer SSC was associated with higher likelihood of breastfeeding initiation without an increased rate of NBC admission, although transient decreases in neonatal body temperature were observed during SSC.