The Effect Of Kangaroo Care And Breastfeeding On Reducing The Pain Due To Hepatitis B Vaccine Injection In Newborn Infants: A Comparative Analysis

INTRODUCTION: The study was conducted to compare the effect of breastfeeding and kangaroo mother care in newborns on the level of pain and physiological changes due to injection of Hepatitis B vaccine.
METHODS: The study was designed as a comparative experimental study. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 70 infants including 35 in the Kangaroo group (KMC) and 35 in the Breastfeeding group (BF) who were followed up in the postnatal ward at XXX Education and Research Hospital between August 2016-February 2017 and met the sample criteria. Pain levels, duration of crying, heart rates (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) of newborn infants were compared before and after Hepatitis B vaccine injection.
RESULTS: It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the infants in breastfeeding and kangaroo mother care groups in terms of pain scores (Z=0.949; p=0.343), SpO2 level (Z=1.032; p=0.302), number of HR (Z=0.206; p=0.837) and duration of crying (Z=0.135; p=0.892). Following the vaccination, heart rate and pain scores of the infants in the breastfeeding group increased less and they had a shorter duration of crying.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: According to these results, it will be effective to breastfeed infants in reducing the pain induced by invasive interventions as breastfeeding is easily applicable, takes a little time, encourages breast milk and strengthens the mother-infant attachment.