Sensory Mindfulness for NICU Mothers: Effects on Breast Milk, Well-Being, and Stress

The Effect of Sensory Mindfulness Technique on Breast Milk, Maternal Well-Being, and Stress Levels in Mothers Whose Infants Are Undergoing Treatment in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Are Breastfeeding With Expressed Breast Milk

Abstract Background: Breast milk is the optimal source of nutrition for infant growth and development and provides important physical and psychological benefits for mothers. Because many infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) cannot be breastfed directly, mothers are required to express milk regularly; however, stress, anxiety, and depression may negatively affect milk production and the milk ejection reflex. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the sensory mindfulness intervention on breast milk volume, pumping duration, maternal well-being, stress levels, and cognitive and emotional mindfulness.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Well-being; Newborn Diseases; Breast Milk Collection; MİNDFULNESS
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Sensory Mindfulness Intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Sarıçam
    • Adana, Sarıçam, Turkey (Türkiye), 01331
      • Balcalı Hastanesi

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion criteria

• Having an infant hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit
• Expressing breast milk for the infant
• Having a term newborn
• Not having twins
• Having no health condition that would prevent participation in the study
• Being able to speak Turkish
• Volunteering to participate in the research. Exclusion criteria
• Missing two or more intervention sessions
• Leaving more than 5% of the questionnaire's incomplete
• The newborn having a high risk of morbidity or mortality
• The presence of a congenital malformation in the newborn
• Undergoing a surgical procedure during the study period
• Having a history of a physical or mental condition that could hinder participation or receiving psychological treatment before or during the intervention.

Termination criteria

• The participant expressing a wish to withdraw from the study at any stage
• Inability to complete the data collection protocol due to the end of the newborn's NICU hospitalization (discharge, transfer etc.)
• Failure to maintain adherence to the research protocol (e.g., inability to complete planned milk expression records or scale administrations)
• The development of a clinical condition during the study that prevented participation in the intervention or assessments (e.g., an acute health problem, treatment requiring sedation, or the need for intensive medical intervention)
• A determination by the research team that continuation was not appropriate in terms of safety or data integrity.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Sensory Mindfulness Intervention; Mothers who met the eligibility criteria were randomly assigned to the sensory mindfulness intervention group. After providing informed consent, participants completed the Descriptive Information Form, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Parental Stressor Scale: NICU (PSS:NICU), and Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). Mothers received standard training on breast milk pumping techniques and structured sensory mindfulness training. The intervention included exposure to the infant's scent using a beanie worn by the infant, visualization of the infant, viewing the infant's photograph, and positive thinking/sensory awareness exercises. Mothers performed the sensory mindfulness practice for approximately 8-10 minutes before each pumping session over a 14-day period. Breast milk volume (mL) and pumping duration (minutes) were recorded at baseline and follow-up assessments conducted on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14.	Behavioral: Sensory Mindfulness Intervention; Sensory mindfulness intervention consisting of infant scent exposure (using a beanie worn by the infant), infant photograph visualization, positive thinking, and sensory awareness exercises performed for approximately 8-10 minutes before each breast milk pumping session. The intervention was administered over a 14-day period in addition to standard breast milk pumping education.
No Intervention: Control Group; Mothers assigned to the control group received routine care and standard breast milk pumping education only. Participants completed the Descriptive Information Form, WHO-5 Well-Being Index, Parental Stressor Scale: NICU (PSS:NICU), and Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R). Breast milk volume (mL) and pumping duration (minutes) were recorded at baseline and follow-up assessments conducted on Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14. No mindfulness, relaxation, or sensory awareness intervention was provided.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Breast Milk Volume (mL)	The amount of expressed breast milk (mL) measured during the study period. Milk volume was recorded separately for morning and evening pumping sessions using the Intervention Observation Form.	2 WEEK

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pumping Duration (minutes)	The duration of each breast milk pumping session recorded in minutes using the Intervention Observation Form	2 WEEK
WHO-5 Well-Being Index Score	Maternal psychological well-being assessed using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Higher scores indicate better well-being.	2 WEEK
Parental Stressor Scale: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit	Maternal stress associated with the neonatal intensive care unit environment assessed using the PSS. Higher scores indicate greater stress levels.	2 WEEK
Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised (CAMS-R)	Maternal cognitive and affective mindfulness assessed using the CAMS-R. Higher scores indicate greater mindfulness.	2WEEK

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cukurova University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 30, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 20, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 13, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 8, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): January 16, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 30, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 25, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: well-being; Breast milk; MİNDFULNESS
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Feeding Behavior; Breast Feeding; Breast Milk Expression; Behavior Therapy; Psychotherapy; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; Mindfulness
• Other Study ID Numbers: Çukurova U Ethics Commit 19/42

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No