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Monday,
Sep 27 - AWHONN's Block Party
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Title: Promoting Early Breastfeeding and Attachment: Our Journey to S.O.F.T
Discipline: Newborn (NB), Childbearing (CB)
Learning Objectives:
Submission Description:- Describe the four components of S.O.F.T.
- Define attachment in relation to the maternal/infant dyad.
- Describe nursing interventions which promote early attachment and breastfeeding.
Research demonstrates there is a “sensitive period” within the first three hours of birth that is critical for establishing early attachment between mother and baby (Siegel, as cited by the Perinatal Service Network Lecture, 2007). Our focus for this project was to capitalize on the initial hour or the “sensitive period” after birth and to promote early attachment which in the end would promote breastfeeding.
This performance improvement project was started to examine new ways to promote early attachment, thereby increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates. Prior to this project the newly delivered baby and mother were allowed some time together, but soon after the delivery the baby was taken to the transitional nursery. Our challenge was to create an environment of change and to promote the evidence based research on the benefits of early attachment, keeping mother and baby together, and its impact on breastfeeding. To create the environment of change a retrospective review of 271 maternal charts was completed. The findings of the review included 64% of the women delivering at that time had a desire to breastfeed; 32% of the maternal/infant dyads experienced skin-to-skin at birth. Some of the limitations of the chart review included the documentation of actual breastfeeding in the maternal chart was inadequate and differences in how each practitioner accomplished skin-to-skin.
Our journey to S.O.F.T. (skin-to-skin, open eye to eye, fingertip touch, and time together) was multifaceted A SOFT committee was developed and included representatives from ambulatory and medicine. Through our journey we created an environment for change. We developed a patient education brochure, introductory DVD for both staff and patients, SOFT journal club and a 2-part class. One of the most successful parts of the program was the use of a SOFT resource nurse during our implementation. As of today we have 100% of the perinatal staff trained in SOFT.
It is our duty as nurses to promote evidence based practices and to be an advocate for our patients. This performance improvement project initiated by a staff nurse allowed us the ability to create an environment for change that ultimately broke the barriers of resistance and allowed us to protect the maternal/infant dyad and promote early attachment. Our success in implementing the SOFT program has already been demonstrated by the positive comments received from the patients. One of the most telling moments is the expression of the new mother, father and nurse as the baby lies on the naked maternal chest and does the “baby dance” to the breast. No words can really express the emotions of that moment.
The implementation of the SOFT program or early attachment has a far reaching effect on the maternal/infant dyad. As one of the staff nurses so eloquently stated: “Mothers provide the ‘habitat’, babies breastfeed; fathers and nurses protect the dyad and keep them together”.
This performance improvement project was started to examine new ways to promote early attachment, thereby increasing exclusive breastfeeding rates. Prior to this project the newly delivered baby and mother were allowed some time together, but soon after the delivery the baby was taken to the transitional nursery. Our challenge was to create an environment of change and to promote the evidence based research on the benefits of early attachment, keeping mother and baby together, and its impact on breastfeeding. To create the environment of change a retrospective review of 271 maternal charts was completed. The findings of the review included 64% of the women delivering at that time had a desire to breastfeed; 32% of the maternal/infant dyads experienced skin-to-skin at birth. Some of the limitations of the chart review included the documentation of actual breastfeeding in the maternal chart was inadequate and differences in how each practitioner accomplished skin-to-skin.
Our journey to S.O.F.T. (skin-to-skin, open eye to eye, fingertip touch, and time together) was multifaceted A SOFT committee was developed and included representatives from ambulatory and medicine. Through our journey we created an environment for change. We developed a patient education brochure, introductory DVD for both staff and patients, SOFT journal club and a 2-part class. One of the most successful parts of the program was the use of a SOFT resource nurse during our implementation. As of today we have 100% of the perinatal staff trained in SOFT.
It is our duty as nurses to promote evidence based practices and to be an advocate for our patients. This performance improvement project initiated by a staff nurse allowed us the ability to create an environment for change that ultimately broke the barriers of resistance and allowed us to protect the maternal/infant dyad and promote early attachment. Our success in implementing the SOFT program has already been demonstrated by the positive comments received from the patients. One of the most telling moments is the expression of the new mother, father and nurse as the baby lies on the naked maternal chest and does the “baby dance” to the breast. No words can really express the emotions of that moment.
The implementation of the SOFT program or early attachment has a far reaching effect on the maternal/infant dyad. As one of the staff nurses so eloquently stated: “Mothers provide the ‘habitat’, babies breastfeed; fathers and nurses protect the dyad and keep them together”.
