Abstract
<jats:p> <jats:bold>Objective:</jats:bold> Because of its calming effect, breast milk may help reduce the restlessness of infants undergoing phototherapy. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of breast milk odor on the duration of separation from phototherapy and bilirubin levels in term infants receiving phototherapy.</jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Methods:</jats:bold> It is an experimental randomized controlled study. There are two groups in the study. These are the breast milk-scented group (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 37) and the control group (<jats:italic>n</jats:italic> = 35). Infants born at 37–39+6 weeks of gestation and receiving phototherapy were included in the study. Groups were separated by randomization method. Cotton soaked with breast milk was placed in a container at a distance of about 15 cm from the head of the newborn in the breast milk scent group. The cotton in the container was replaced with a new one every 3 hours. In the control group, the mother and infant were allowed to stay together, which is the routine practice of the clinic.</jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Results:</jats:bold> The time to be separated from phototherapy due to feeding was determined to be longer in the group in which breast milk scent was administered (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = .00), whereas the time to leave phototherapy due to crying and follow-up was longer (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = .001, <jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = .015) in the control group. When the effect of the smell of breast milk on the rate of decrease in the hourly bilirubin level was examined, no significant difference was found between the groups (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> = .995).</jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Conclusions:</jats:bold> The smell of breast milk caused the infants to prolong the feeding times and decrease the crying and follow-up times. It is recommended that the application of breast milk scent should be made into the routine practice of clinics in infants receiving phototherapy.</jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Trial Registration:</jats:bold> <jats:ext-link xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" ext-link-type="clintrialgov" xlink:href="NCT05167474">NCT05167474</jats:ext-link>.</jats:p>