Calming effect of the smell of breastmilk on the babies born at term

The research was conducted experimentally to evaluate the effects of breast milk and formula milk smells on reducing acute pain due to heel blood removal in newborns and to investigate the effects of these smells on heart rate, oxygen saturation, crying time and cortisol level.The research data were obtained from 84 newborn babies in 'Baby Room' Obstetrics and Pediatric Hospital in Zonguldak between March 2017 and December 2017, which met the case selection criteria.All newborns in the study were divided into two groups: those who were fed with breast milk, those who were fed with breast milk and formula milk.Twenty one of the newborns fed only breast milk were smelled ofbreast milk (Group 1) and twenty one of them were smelled formula milk (Group 2).Twenty one of the newborns fed with breast milk and formula milk were smelled of breast milk (Group 3) and twenty one of them were smelled of formula milk (Group 4). Before, during, and after the procedure of heel blood, pain levels were assessed by NIPS (Newborn Pain Scale), heart rate and oxygen saturation were measured by pulse oximetry.Cortisol levels the newborns were measured by taking saliva samples from newborns before and after the procedure.The crying times of the newborns were recorded with a stopwatch. The data were evaluated using the SPSS 18 package program.It was determined that newborns who smelled breast milk during the heel blood procedure had less pain during and after the procedure, less rise in stress hormones and less increase in heart rate, and less decrease in oxygen saturation compared to the newborns smearing formula. It was determined that even though the newborns who were fed with breast milk with formula milk were familiar with both smells, the mother's milk smell was more effective than the formula milk smell in relieving the pain. As a result; this study suggests that mothers' smells are an effective method of reducing intervental pain.