{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,19]],"date-time":"2026-03-19T15:16:29Z","timestamp":1773933389335,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":19,"publisher":"Danish Medical Association","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Dan Med J"],"abstract":"<jats:p>INTRODUCTION. In neonatal care, mother\u2013infant separation is common even when infants are stable or require only short-term support. Early skin-to-skin (ESTS) care may reduce separation and improve stability, bonding and breastfeeding. We aimed at implementing the practice as a protective quality improvement project.\n\nMETHODS. The study was conducted in a level-2 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Denmark, embedded in routine practice. ESTS was offered whenever feasible to preterm infants, GA \u2265 30 weeks or term infants with low birth weight or respiratory symptoms. ESTS was initiated immediately after birth or when admission was indicated. A neonatal nurse stayed with the infant continuously, providing monitoring, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) if needed, and early feeding. Predefined safety and quality measures were recorded.\n\nRESULTS. A total of 65 infants were included (37 preterm\/low birth weight; 28 \u2265 35 weeks with respiratory symptoms). Among preterm\/low birth weight infants, 32% received CPAP, none developed respiratory distress syndrome and all received ESTS for at least two hours. In the \u2265 35 weeks group, 71% received CPAP, and 36% avoided NICU transfer after short-term support. Overall, 87% were normothermic, 96% had normal glucose and no severe hypoglycaemia occurred. Latching within two hours succeeded in 29%.\n\nCONCLUSIONS. In this real-world NICU setting, ESTS proved to be feasible and safe for selected infants. The approach reduced early separation and prevented some admissions without extra resources, supporting family-centred neonatal practice in high-income care.\n\nFUNDING. None.\n\nTRIAL REGISTRATION. Not relevant.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.61409\/a04250314","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,29]],"date-time":"2026-01-29T07:30:25Z","timestamp":1769671825000},"page":"1-7","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Reducing mother-infant separation through early skin-to-skin care in a neonatal intensive care unit setting"],"prefix":"10.61409","author":[{"given":"Anna Elisabet","family":"Lewis","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anita","family":"Vendelbo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ea","family":"Bog\u00f8","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mia","family":"Bjerager","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bo M\u00f8lholm","family":"Hansen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"40208","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","unstructured":"Dansk Kvalitetsdatabase for Nyf\u00f8dte (DKN). RKKP, 2024. www.sundk.dk\/media\/rls53e1q\/c12916065318474c956cd376ce5b700d.pdf (Nov 2025)"},{"key":"ref1","unstructured":"World Health Organization. WHO recommendations for care of the preterm or low-birth-weight infant: web supplement. Evidence base. World Health Organization, 2022. https:\/\/iris.who.int\/server\/api\/core\/bitstreams\/707c8feb-e4e4-4e5c-b029-b78202c67cc7\/content (Nov 2025)"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"Moore ER, Bergman N, Anderson GC, Medley N. Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;(11):CD003519. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/14651858.CD003519.pub4","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD003519.pub4"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","unstructured":"van Veenendaal NR, van Kempen AAMW, Broekman BFP, et al. Association of a zero-separation neonatal care model with stress in mothers of preterm infants. 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