Effect of Nesting During Intramuscular Injection on Pain, Stress, and Breastfeeding Success in Cesarean-Born Term Newborns (NESTING)

August 2, 2026 updated by: Emine Nur Çalımlı Celep, Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

The Effect of Nesting Practice on Pain, Stress Level, and Breastfeeding Success During Intramuscular Injection in Term Newborns Delivered by Cesarean Section

This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of nesting during the first intramuscular injection on pain, stress level, physiological parameters, settling time, and breastfeeding success in healthy term newborns delivered by cesarean section. A total of 112 newborns will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a nesting intervention group or a routine care control group. Newborns in the intervention group will receive nesting until the first intramuscular injection, whereas those in the control group will receive routine neonatal care. Pain, stress level, physiological parameters, settling time, and breastfeeding success will be evaluated using validated assessment tools. The findings are expected to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of nesting as a simple, safe, and non-pharmacological intervention for reducing procedural pain and stress in newborns while supporting breastfeeding success.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Painful procedures performed during the first hours after birth, particularly intramuscular vitamin K and hepatitis B injections, are associated with significant pain and stress responses in newborns. Although several non-pharmacological interventions have been recommended to minimize procedural pain, evidence regarding the effectiveness of nesting in healthy term newborns delivered by cesarean section remains limited.

This study is designed as a prospective, single-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. The study will be conducted in the newborn observation room of the Delivery Unit at Kocaeli Darıca Farabi Training and Research Hospital. Healthy term newborns (37-42 weeks of gestation) delivered by cesarean section will be enrolled after written informed parental consent is obtained. A total of 112 newborns will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the nesting intervention group or the routine care control group using Random Allocation Software.

Newborns assigned to the intervention group will be placed in a sterile cotton nesting position until the first intramuscular injection. Routine intramuscular administration of vitamin K and hepatitis B vaccine will be performed according to standard neonatal care. The control group will receive routine neonatal care without nesting. No additional invasive procedures will be performed for research purposes.

Pain, stress level, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and settling time will be assessed before, during, and one minute after the injection. Breastfeeding success will be evaluated at the first breastfeeding after mother-infant reunion, at one hour after breastfeeding, and before hospital discharge using validated assessment tools. Outcome assessment will be performed by an independent assessor who is blinded to group allocation.

The primary objective of this study is to determine whether nesting reduces procedural pain and stress while improving physiological stability and breastfeeding success in term newborns delivered by cesarean section. The results are expected to contribute to evidence-based neonatal care by supporting the implementation of developmental, non-pharmacological interventions during routine newborn procedures.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

112

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Kocaeli
      • Darıca, Kocaeli, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • Recruiting
        • Kocaeli Darıca Farabi Training and Research Hospital
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Sevil İnal, Prof. Dr.
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Emine Nur Çalımlı Celep, Msc
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Yasemin Dinçel, Msc

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Written informed consent was obtained from the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of the newborn.
  • Born by cesarean section.
  • Term newborn (gestational age between 37+0 and 41+6 weeks).
  • Birth weight between 2,500 g and 4,000 g.
  • Clinically stable vital signs (including heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation).
  • No acute or chronic medical conditions.
  • No congenital anomalies.
  • No requirement for endotracheal intubation, resuscitation, or admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
  • Scheduled to receive the first intramuscular injection after birth.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Multiple birth (e.g., twins or higher-order multiples).
  • Administration of vitamin K or hepatitis B vaccine before completion of the study procedures.
  • Withdrawal of parental consent at any time during the study.
  • Use of a pacifier, oral sucrose, or any pharmacological or non-pharmacological pain-relief intervention before completion of the outcome assessments.
  • Discharge from the hospital or transfer to another healthcare facility before completion of the study procedures.
  • Delayed mother-newborn reunion due to maternal general anesthesia or prolonged sedation following spinal or epidural anesthesia.
  • Delayed transfer of the newborn to the mother because of prolonged surgery, intraoperative complications, or delayed postoperative stabilization.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Nesting Group
Term newborns delivered by cesarean section will receive the nesting intervention before and during routine intramuscular injection. Pain, stress level, and breastfeeding success will be assessed using validated outcome measures.
Behavioral: Nesting
Nesting is a non-pharmacological positioning intervention in which the newborn is placed in a flexed, midline posture using rolled towels or positioning supports to provide containment before and during intramuscular injection. The intervention aims to reduce procedural pain and stress and improve breastfeeding success.
No Intervention: Standard Care Group
Term newborns delivered by cesarean section will receive routine care during intramuscular injection without the nesting intervention. Pain, stress level, and breastfeeding success will be assessed using the same outcome measures.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neonatal Pain
Time Frame: Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Pain will be assessed using the Neonatal Pain, Agitation and Sedation Scale (N-PASS). The pain/agitation component consists of five behavioral and physiological indicators, each scored from 0 to 2, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 10. Higher scores indicate greater pain.
Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Neonatal Stress Level
Time Frame: Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Neonatal stress will be assessed using the Neonatal Stress Scale. The scale consists of eight behavioral and physiological indicators, each scored from 0 to 2, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 16. Higher scores indicate greater neonatal stress.
Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Heart Rate
Time Frame: Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Heart rate will be measured in beats per minute (bpm) to evaluate the newborn's physiological response to intramuscular injection. Higher heart rate values indicate a greater physiological response to procedural stress.
Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Respiratory Rate
Time Frame: Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Respiratory rate will be measured in breaths per minute (breaths/min) to evaluate the newborn's physiological response to intramuscular injection. Higher respiratory rate values indicate a greater physiological response to procedural stress.
Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Peripheral Oxygen Saturation
Time Frame: Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) will be measured using pulse oximetry and reported as a percentage (%) to evaluate the newborn's physiological response to intramuscular injection. Higher SpO₂ values indicate better oxygenation.
Immediately before intramuscular injection, during intramuscular injection, and 1 minute after intramuscular injection.
Breastfeeding Success
Time Frame: At the first breastfeeding following mother-newborn reunion, 1 hour after the first breastfeeding, and 48 hours after birth (prior to hospital discharge).
Breastfeeding success will be assessed using the Bristol Breastfeeding Assessment Tool (BBAT). The BBAT consists of four items (positioning, attachment, sucking, and swallowing), each scored from 0 to 2. Total scores range from 0 to 8, with higher scores indicating better breastfeeding effectiveness.
At the first breastfeeding following mother-newborn reunion, 1 hour after the first breastfeeding, and 48 hours after birth (prior to hospital discharge).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Sevil İnal, Prof. Dr., Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Department of Midwifery

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 15, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 15, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 8, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

August 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 2, 2026

Last Verified

August 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • NESTING-2025-09

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

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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