Primary outcome of this trial to investigate the effects daily skin-to-skin contact on cumulative stress through measures salivary cortisol. The intervention group will receive mother-infant skin-to-skin contact at least 1 continuous hour everyday from infant 3 days of life until discharge. The control group will receive routine neonatal care during hospitalization except skin-to-skin contact. The concentration of salivary cortisol and other infant and parental outcomes will be measured in both groups.
This study will evaluate the effect of maternal-infant skin-to-skin contact (SSC) versus routine care on general stress in preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).