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. 2022 Oct 11:13:790313.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.790313. eCollection 2022.

Skin-to-skin SDF positioning: The key to intersubjective intimacy between mother and very preterm newborn-A pilot matched-pair case-control study

Aude Buil  1   2 , Carol Sankey  1 , Laurence Caeymaex  2   3 , Maya Gratier  4 , Gisèle Apter  5 , Lisa Vitte  1   5 , Emmanuel Devouche  1   5
Affiliations

Skin-to-skin SDF positioning: The key to intersubjective intimacy between mother and very preterm newborn-A pilot matched-pair case-control study

Aude Buil et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: Skin-to-skin contact (SSC) has been widely studied in NICU and several meta-analyses have looked at its benefits, for both the baby and the parent. However, very few studies have investigated SSC' benefits for communication, in particular in the very-preterm newborn immediately after birth.

Aims: To investigate the immediate benefits of Supported Diagonal Flexion (SDF) positioning during SSC on the quality of mother-very-preterm newborn communication and to examine the coordination of the timing of communicative behaviors, just a few days after birth.

Subjects and study design: Monocentric prospective matched-pair case-control study. Thirty-four mothers and their very preterm infants (27 to 31 + 6 weeks GA, mean age at birth: 30 weeks GA) were assigned to one of the two SSC positioning, either the Vertical Control positioning (n = 17) or the SDF Intervention positioning (n = 17). Mother and newborn were filmed during the first 5 min of their first SSC.

Outcome measures: Infants' states of consciousness according to the Assessment of Preterm Infants' Behavior scale (APIB). Onset and duration of newborns' and mothers' vocalizations and their temporal proximity within a 1-s time-window.

Results: In comparison with the Vertical group, very preterm newborns in the SDF Intervention Group spent less time in a drowsy state and more in deep sleep. At 3.5 days of life, newborns' vocal production in SSC did not differ significantly between the two groups. Mothers offered a denser vocal envelope in the SDF group than in the Vertical group and their vocalizations were on average significantly longer. Moreover, in a one-second time-frame, temporal proximity of mother-very preterm newborn behaviors was greater in the SDF Intervention Group.

Conclusion: Although conducted on a limited number of dyads, our study shows that SDF positioning fosters mother-very preterm newborn intimate encounter during the very first skin to skin contact after delivery. Our pioneer data sheds light on the way a mother and her very preterm vocally meet, and constitutes a pilot step in the exploration of innate intersubjectivity in the context of very preterm birth.

Keywords: Kangaroo Care; NICU; first skin-to-skin contact, SDF positioning; innate intersubjectivity; mother-very preterm newborn interaction; very premature birth; vocal production.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Vertical control positioning (A,B) and Supported Diagonal Flexion (SDF) intervention positioning (C,D) during the very first SSC after very preterm birth.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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