The Effect of Reflexology on Lactation and Postpartum Comfort for Cesarean-delivery Primiparous Mothers

Selcuk University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Lactation Failure; Breastfeeding; Reflexology; Postpartum; Nursing Caries

Treatments: Other: Reflexology

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03686319

99950669/53

Details and patient eligibility

About

Immediately after cesarean birth, many women suffer from breastfeeding problems due to pain, fatigue, activity intolerance, anesthesia, and delayed onset of lactation. Because of these avoidable problems, the baby cannot get enough breast milk, and mothers' postpartum comfort decreases.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of reflexology on lactation and postpartum comfort in primiparas giving births through cesarean section.

Full description

Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted with 100 women with first birth through cesarean section were investigated between May 2016 and May 2017. Expectant mothers were randomly included into an intervention and a control group. The intervention group consisted of mothers for whom reflexology was performed three times per day for 30 min every eight hours.

With face-to-face interviews, all participants were informed about the design, content and methods to be used in the study, and the sociodemographic data obtained self-reportingly from the primiparas were recorded. The data were collected between May 2016 and May 2017. In collecting the data related to primiparas and infants, a questionnaire structured by the researchers in light of literature was used, as well as The breastfeeding charting system (LATCH), The visual analogue scale (VAS) for signs of onset of lactation and The postpartum comfort questionnaire (PPCQ).

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 41 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• primiparas delivering through CS,
• at the age of 18 and over,
• at ≤37 gestational weeks
• with one-fetus birth,
• with stable vital signs,
• those delivering under general anesthesia,
• except for CS and spinal/epidural anesthesia,
• with ability of communication in Turkish, and those accepting to participate into the study voluntarily.

Exclusion criteria

• primiparas with infectious diseases such as shingles, fungus, eczema, warts and callus in the intervention group,
• those with local infections like abscess,
• open lesion/wound, scar tissue, edema, hematoma, thrombophlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, coagulopathy, mass, varicosis, deformities on toes, recent fractures or dislocations, tearing of fascia and tendons,
• and with psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression, were excluded out of the study.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

control groups

No Intervention group

Description:

Primiparas appropriate for the criteria, admitted to the clinic due to CS and accepting to participate in the study were randomly placed into groups. Reflexology was performed in the intervention group mothers, and the questionnaires and scales were self-reportingly filled in by the lead researcher (SC). Different rooms were allocated for the participants in the intervention and control groups not to affect each other.

"intervention" (foot reflexology)

Experimental group

Description:

Reflexology was performed in those in the intervention group after CS on right foot for 10 min and left foot for 20 min as continuing 30-min seances three times per day every eight hours for three days. The procedure was started at mean 3rd hour after mothers became stable. Reflexology was performed for none of those in the control group.

Treatment:

Other: Reflexology