S. Kohestani
1, Z. Mirkazehi
2*1 Department of Endocrinology and Female Infertility, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
2 Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
*Corresponding Author: Tel: +98 (54) 37213891 Fax: +98 (54) 37213308 Post Address: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Street, Mashhad, Iran. Postal Code: 91388-13944, Email:
mirkazehi1397@mums.ac.ir
Abstract
Aims: Breast milk is the best nutrition for the baby because it has numerous health benefits for the mother and baby. Massage is used as a routine part of infant care in many cultures. This study aimed to investigate the effect of massage therapy with field technique by the mother on the level of maternal attachment and infant behavior in infants.
Instrument & Methods: This clinical trial was performed in 2016 on 54 primiparous women with vaginal delivery referring to Imam Reza (AS) and Umm ul-Banin (AS) hospitals in Mashhad. Mothers who underwent the intervention from the first to ten first days after delivery used to massage their babies for 15 minutes every day. The control group received no intervention. Maternal and neonatal attachment levels and neonatal infant behavior after delivery in the first and tenth days after delivery were assessed in both intervention and control groups.
Findings: The mean attachment score in the intervention group on the tenth day after delivery was higher than in the control group (p=0.001). Changes in infant behavior in infants were 16.24 in the massage group and 10.74 in the non-massage group. Using the Wilcoxon test, changes in infant behavior between the two groups were statistically significant, and changes in infant behavior in infants in the massage group were better (p=0.001).
Conclusion: Massage of the baby by the mother increases the degree of attachment between mother and baby after delivery and is effective on the frequency and duration of breastfeeding.