Kangaroo care to boost breastfeeding and maternal role after first birth
The Effect of Kangaroo Mother Care Applied in the Early Postpartum Period to Primiparous Mothers on Breastfeeding Success and Perception of the Maternal Role
This trial will test whether intermittent 24-hour kangaroo mother care right after a vaginal birth helps first-time mothers breastfeed better and feel more confident as mothers.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 112 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 49 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | Recep Tayyip Erdogan University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Rize) |
| Trial ID | NCT07543029 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial will enroll 112 primiparous mothers at Bucak State Hospital between June 2025 and June 2026 and randomize them to an experimental or control group. Experimental participants will provide intermittent chest-to-chest kangaroo mother care for the first 24 hours postpartum beginning after the first breastfeeding attempt, while controls receive standard immediate skin-to-skin care without additional KMC from the study team. Breastfeeding success will be measured with the LATCH tool at baseline (within the first hour) and at 24 hours, and maternal role perception will be measured at 24 hours using the Semantic Differential Scale—Myself as a Mother. Randomization will use sealed envelopes and www.random.org, and the sample size (56 per arm) is powered to detect a medium effect.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: First-time healthy mothers after uncomplicated vaginal term births (38–42 weeks) with healthy newborns weighing 2500–4000 g and Apgar scores >7 who plan to breastfeed exclusively.
Not a fit: Mothers with cesarean delivery, significant maternal or neonatal health problems, preterm or out-of-range birthweight infants, or those not planning exclusive breastfeeding would not be eligible and are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve early breastfeeding success and strengthen mothers' early sense of maternal role, potentially supporting longer exclusive breastfeeding.
How similar studies have performed: Kangaroo mother care has demonstrated benefits for breastfeeding and maternal bonding in many studies of preterm and low-birthweight infants, though evidence in healthy full-term first-time mothers is more limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * For mothers: * It must be the mother's first birth, * Birth must have been vaginal, * The mother must be healthy, * The mother must voluntarily participate in the study, * The mother must not have any communication-impairing conditions (language, cognitive problems, etc.), For babies: * Birth weight must be between 2500-4000 grams; * The newborn must be healthy, * Exclusively breastfed, * The newborn must be at term gestation (38-42 weeks), * The newborn's Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes must be above 7, * The newborn must not have any health problems that could affect breastfeeding (cleft palate, cleft lip, esophageal atresia, etc.). Exclusion Criteria: \-
Where this trial is running
Rize
- Bucak State Hospital — Rize, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Gamzegül ALTAY, PhD — Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
- Study coordinator: Gamzegül ALTAY, Assistant Professor
- Email: gamzegul.altay@erdogan.edu.tr
- Phone: +90 464 2141059
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.