title: Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices in Infants Receiving Skin to Skin Care at Birth: Follow-up of Randomized Cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skin to Skin Care (SSC) in neonatal period influences immediate breastfeeding outcomes in early childhood, especially the duration of exclusive breastfeeding.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated influence of 17 hours of SSC given from day one of life on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices through one year of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  Follow-up of a Superiority Randomized Control Trial (RCT) (CTRI/2013/06/003790) conducted in a teaching hospital located in central Gujarat. Mothers of 100 neonates (48 girls, 52 boys) from previous study cohort of RCT on SSC were followed. A survey on IYCF practices during the first year of life was administered after the end of infancy. In RCT, 50 neonates had received SSC beginning of 30 min- 1 hour after birth for average 17 hours on day 1 of life. In the control group, 50 newborn were placed next to the mother and conventional care was provided. There was a significant difference between hypothermia incidences in these groups in the first two days of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the groups as far as the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, number of times breastfed per day, or stoppage of night feeds. No baby in either group received bottled feeds but about 53 received some form of extra lacteal feeds in the first 6 months without significant group difference. Fewer SSC mothers reported difficulties with breastfeeding or extra lacteal supplementation. All mothers who faced problems contacted physicians for advice and 20 were advised top milk and 6 given other foods. At one year of life 66% mothers were giving less than the recommended five food servings. There was no difference in practices related to hand washing, food preparation and storage, feeding habits of child and illness episodes in the children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IYCF practices in this small group were not as per guidelines. Few positive trends were seen with fewer SSC mothers facing problems related to breastfeeding. The study was underpowered to detect differences in IYCF practices in relation to SSC.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Archana Somashekhar
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Nimbalkar
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Dipen Vasudev
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Somashekhar Marutirao
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Nimbalkar
authors.affiliation: Senior Resident, Department of Paediatrics, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Vijay Karshanbhai
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Paediatrics, Pramukhswami Medical College , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Dhaval Nileshbhai
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Manager, Central Research Services, Charutar Arogya Mandal , Karamsad, Gujarat, India .
authors.forename: Ajay Gajanan
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Phatak
keywords: Breastfeeding; Infancy; Mortality; Skin to Skin contact