An Evidence-Based Practice Project to Reduce Maternal and Newborn Pain

Abstract

Vaginal birth is the most common form of childbirth and can result in perineal wounds that may require repair. These repairs can be extremely painful. Once the baby is born, they will also experience painful procedures including injections and heel sticks. This evidence-based practice project was aimed at determining whether skin-to-skin contact was successful in reducing maternal and neonatal pain. A literature search was completed to address the use of skin-to-skin contact as a nonpharmacological intervention for pain relief. Thirty-one articles were found during the search and only six met the required inclusion criteria and were retained. The retained articles included four randomized controlled trials, one systematic review, and one position statement. The literature included in this evidence-based practice project determined that skin-to-skin contact was an effective intervention to relieve pain. Despite the variability in the range of dosing, anywhere from 15 minutes to over 120 minutes, the articles demonstrated that skin-to-skin contact was an efficient method for the relief of maternal and neonatal pain. The use of skin-to-skin contact was successful in reducing maternal and neonatal pain. This is a nonpharmacological intervention that may be used in conjunction with pharmacological interventions to relieve pain.