The Effect of Watching Infant Video With or Without Smelling an Infant-Scented Hat With Infant Scent on Anxiety, Milk Volume, Stress, and Attachment in Mothers of Hospitalized Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Shafaati Laleh S., İNAL S., Hosseini M., Hasanpoor S., Nikzad H., Mirghafourvand M.

Health Science Reports, cilt.9, sa.5, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 9 Sayı: 5
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/hsr2.72468
  • Dergi Adı: Health Science Reports
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, EMBASE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: anxiety, attachment, breast milk, neonatal intensive care unit, olfactory stimuli, perceived stress
  • İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background and Aims: An infant's unique scent can significantly foster a deep emotional connection between mother and baby. This study aimed to determine the effect of watching infant video with or without smelling an infant-scented hat on anxiety and breast milk volume (primary outcomes), stress and mother-infant attachment (secondary outcomes) in mothers with hospitalized infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 78 mothers were allocated to three groups using block randomization: intervention group 1 (infant-scented hat plus video), intervention group 2 (video only), and a control group (plain hat). The intervention lasted 5 days. All mothers received training on breast pumping and recording their milk volume. Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Results: Compared with the control group, both interventions led to significant improvements in state anxiety (Group 1: adjusted mean difference [AMD] = −16.40, 95%CI: −24.56 to −8.24, p < 0.001; Group 2: AMD = −13.83, 95%CI: −21.26 to −6.40, p < 0.001), trait anxiety (Group 1: AMD = −11.54, 95%CI: −16.29 to −6.80, p < 0.001; Group 2: AMD = −11.57, 95%CI: −15.87 to −7.26, p < 0.001), and perceived stress (Group 1: AMD = −2.11, 95%CI: −3.67 to −0.56, p = 0.004; Group 2: AMD = −1.86, 95%CI: −3.39 to −0.33, p = 0.001). Milk volume (mL) in Group 1 was significantly higher than in the control group (Day 3: MD = 37.85, 95%CI: 4.13 to 71.56, p = 0.023; Day 4: MD = 49.13, 95%CI: 9.73 to 88.53, p = 0.010; Day 5: MD = 80.55, 95%CI: 34.85 to 126.26, p = 0.001). On Day 5, milk volume in Group 2 was significantly higher than in the control group (MD = 51.05, 95%CI: 5.17 to 96.93, p = 0.024). Mother–infant attachment scores were significantly higher in Group 1 compared with the control group (MD = 3.56, 95%CI: 0.93 to 6.19, p = 0.004). Conclusion: Scent-infused materials and infant video exposure during NICU hospitalization may reduce maternal anxiety and stress, enhance milk production, and improve attachment, supporting development of targeted NICU interventions.