Guideline
The Swedish national guideline on immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and mother-newborn couplet care.
- Allied health
- Breast milk and breastfeeding
- Delivery room and stabilisation
- Developmental care and positioning
- Families and professional practice
- Family-integrated care
- Medical
- Nursing
- Postnatal and transitional care
- Quality improvement
- Thermoregulation
- Transitional care
Summary
English translation of the 2024 Swedish national guideline on immediate and uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact for at least the first two hours after birth for all newborns, followed by mother-newborn couplet care. It applies to all mothers and newborns in hospital, including preterm and low birth-weight infants, those needing specialised medical care, and those born by instrumental or caesarean birth. Themes include zero separation in line with WHO kangaroo mother care strategy, reorganisation of maternal and neonatal services, and multidisciplinary implementation. It includes a scientific rationale, definitions, recommendations, implementation guidance, impact assessment and quality indicators.
Summary written for NICUlearn. Always read the original.
- Licence:
- Open (Creative Commons)
The full text of this openly licensed guideline is available to NICUlearn members, and Neeky can answer questions from it.
Guidelines are shown for education. Follow your unit's own guidance and senior advice.