Table 1

Correct responses to Newborn Feeding Ability items and evidence source
Correct responses to items
 Evidence
1. A normal full term infant is born with instinctive reflex ability to breastfeed effectively
 [40]
2. Newborns will develop predictable, coordinated feeding behaviors within minutes of birth
 [38, 39]
3. Newborns can instinctively find the nipple without help and attach correctly to the breast
 [35]
4. Newborns will be guided to the nipple by their sense of smell
 [37]
5. Skin-to-skin contact is important to help stabilize newborn breathing
 [58, 59]
6. A newborn's heart rate is stabilized by skin-to-skin contact
 [60]
7. Skin-to-skin contact is important to prevent heat loss in newborn babies
 [61, 62]
8. A newborn's blood sugar levels are stabilized by skin-to-skin contact
 [62, 63]
9. Skin-to-skin contact helps the flow of colostrum after birth
 [64]
10. Uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth is important for newborn breastfeeding performance
 [35, 41]
11. A mother is more likely to accept and feel warm toward her baby if skin-to-skin contact happens immediately after birth
 [64]
12. Hours of continuous skin-to-skin contact can help a newborn baby learn to feed
 [34]
13. Midwives and mothers know the baby is getting colostrum at the first breastfeed when they hear the baby swallow
 [65]
14 Midwives and mothers know the baby is getting colostrum at the first breastfeed when they see the baby swallow
 [65]
15. Separation of a newborn from the mother at birth can cause harmful stress to the baby
 [40, 66]
16. Birth trauma may interfere with the proper coordination of an infant's natural suckling reflexes
 [67]
17. Interrupting skin-to-skin contact within 15–20 minutes of birth seriously disturbs the suckling reflexes for correct attachment
 [35, 68]
18*. Immediately after birth, uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact should be facilitated until after the first breastfeed
 [42, 43]
19*. Skin-to-skin contact to initiate feeding is of higher priority than wrapping the baby
 [62]
20*. Skin-to-skin contact to breastfeed should take precedence over completion of required documentation
 [44]
21*. Most mothers prefer to hold their baby immediately after birth rather than be cleaned
 [44]

* reversed scored items

Creedy et al. International Breastfeeding Journal 2008 3:7   doi:10.1186/1746-4358-3-7