Early Skin‐To‐Skin Contact and Breastfeeding in Infants Born Before 35 Gestational Weeks: A Register Study

Aim The aim was to investigate if there was an association between early skin‐to‐skin contact after preterm birth and breastfeeding status at discharge. Methods This was a register‐based study using data from the Swedish Neonatal Quality register 2020–2024. In total, 9914 infants born before 35 weeks of gestation were included. The outcome was breastfeeding at discharge from the neonatal unit, assessed using two variables: breastfeeding at the breast and receiving breast milk. The exposure was early skin‐to‐skin contact, defined as within the first 24 h after birth. Odds ratios were estimated for the total population and stratified for gestational age groups. Results Skin‐to‐skin contact within the first 24 h was associated with higher odds of partial breastfeeding at the breast at discharge, aOR 1.47 (95% CI 1.32–1.64), and higher odds of partially and exclusively receiving breast milk. Among extremely preterm infants, skin‐to‐skin contact was associated with higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding at the breast, aOR 2.22 (95% CI 1.35–3.64). Conclusion Early skin‐to‐skin contact was associated with higher odds of partial breastfeeding at discharge in the total study population and with exclusive breastfeeding in extremely preterm infants.