%0 Journal Article %J J Hum Lact %D 2015 %T Making the first days of life safer: preventing sudden unexpected postnatal collapse while promoting breastfeeding. %A Davanzo, Riccardo %A De Cunto, Angela %A Paviotti, Giulia %A Travan, Laura %A Inglese, Stefania %A Brovedani, Pierpaolo %A Crocetta, Anna %A Calligaris, Chiara %A Corubolo, Elisa %A Dussich, Valentina %A Verardi, Giuseppa %A Causin, Enrica %A Kennedy, Jaquelyn %A Marrazzo, Francesca %A Strajn, Tamara %A Sanesi, Cecilia %A Demarini, Sergio %X

Early and prolonged skin-to-skin contact (SSC) after birth between a mother and her newborn has been shown to generate beneficial effects on the mother-infant relationship and breastfeeding. Close mother-infant body contact immediately after birth positively enhances exclusive breastfeeding during the hospital stay, with a dose-response relationship. Skin-to-skin contact may ease the infant's transition to extra-uterine life and helps regulate the infant's body temperature and nursing behavior. However, reports of sudden unexpected postnatal collapse (SUPC) soon after birth, in healthy term neonates, in association with SSC, have raised concerns about the safety of this practice. Based on available evidence, we developed a surveillance protocol in the delivery room and postnatal ward of the Institute for Maternal and Child Health of Trieste (Italy). The aim of our protocol is (a) to promote safe mother and infant bonding and (b) to establish successful breastfeeding, without increasing the risk of SUPC. As there is no known effective intervention to prevent SUPC, our protocol has been conceived as a potential best practice.

%B J Hum Lact %V 31 %P 47-52 %8 2015 Feb %G eng %N 1 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25339551?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1177/0890334414554927 %0 Journal Article %J J Hum Lact %D 2014 %T From tube to breast: the bridging role of semi-demand breastfeeding. %A Davanzo, Riccardo %A Strajn, Tamara %A Kennedy, Jacqueline %A Crocetta, Anna %A De Cunto, Angela %X

Determination of the optimal timing of breastfeeding initiation for preterm infants is still a challenge for health professionals. Often unjustified delays and restrictions of breastfeeding occur due to non-evidence-based current opinions about preterm infants' feeding capacity. Semi-demand feeding has been proposed for preterm infants during the transition from scheduled to full demand feeding, to promote the establishment of self-regulated oral feeding. Although semi-demand feeding has been shown to be safe and effective in reducing time to reaching oral feeding, the implementation of this feeding pattern for preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is still limited. We developed a protocol for the application of semi-demand feeding in preterm infants based on the existing knowledge of preterm infant neurodevelopment and NICU organization and staff experience. The protocol's aim is to attain successful transition from tube feeding to breastfeeding. In this article, we describe the protocol used in the neonatal unit of the Maternal and Child Health Institute of Trieste, a third level care center in northeastern Italy.

%B J Hum Lact %V 30 %P 405-9 %8 2014 Nov %G eng %N 4 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25172892?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1177/0890334414548697