NSPN 7150 EXAMINATION TEST 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS TAGGED A+
✔✔Effects of colostrum on gut? - ✔✔Gut is permeable. Colostrum is thick and coats the
stomach to decrease the permeability of the gut preventing passage of large particles
and pathogen. Important not to give formula to breastfed infant before gut closure
occurs
✔✔What is skin to skin? - ✔✔Skin-to-skin contact was originally from the Kangaroo care
practice for premature infants. Today, it is recommended by the World Health
Organization (WHO) for parents with full-term infants who had no complications during
the first hour after birth, to prevent hypothermia and promote breastfeeding (WHO,
2018). Mothers are encouraged to place their infants in uninterrupted SSC immediately
following birth for at least an hour, or until the completion of the first feed, or for as long
as the mother wishes
✔✔How to do SSC? - ✔✔Skin-to-skin means that the mother places the dried and
naked infant (maybe in diaper) in chest-to-chest position with nothing between them,
such as blankets or clothing. The infant's shoulders should be touching the mother's
chest, and the infant's head should be turned to the side, so the nose is not blocked.
The infant's arms should be free on the sides of the body to move as they wish. Mothers
should be in a reclined position, not flat. Blankets should cover both the mother and
infant until temperature stability is achieved
✔✔Maternal benefits of SSC - ✔✔-Promotes Bonding and Attachment (releases
oxytocin which promotes bonding)
-May Prevent Maternal Depression (less physiological stress)
-Increases Interactions
-Improves Breastfeeding
✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: supports transitions - ✔✔Skin-to-skin contact supports and
may shorten the transition by helping the infant in many ways. It helps the infant:
-stay warmer
-have better temperature control in the postpartum period
-maintain blood glucose level
-maintain regular breathing patterns
-experience more efficient postnatal metabolic adjustments
-have improved cardio-respiratory stability
-cry less at birth
-have lower cortisol levels
-attain longer sleep periods and longer periods of alertness
-experience less caloric expenditure
gain weight faster
-have improved brain development
-have improved breastfeeding duration
,✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: enhances brain development - ✔✔SSC accelerates
maturation and increases complexity in infants' brain development.
✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: decreases pain during painful procedures - ✔✔Skin-to-skin
contact acts as non-pharmacological analgesia for newborns and helps them cope with
pain, including procedures such as vitamin K injection, blood dot screening, and so on
✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: strengthens the immune system - ✔✔The most effective way
to colonize the baby with healthy skin and gut flora is through SSC with the mother and
partner. Infants are less likely to get a nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection if they
spend lots of time in skin-to-skin contact with their parents.
✔✔Benefits of SSC for preterm infant - ✔✔-Better state organization and autonomic
system functioning
-Enhanced physiologic stability
-Enhanced biologic co-regulation and synchrony with mother
-Better quality of sleep
✔✔Father SSC - ✔✔Father-infant SSC was beneficial in enhancing newborn outcomes
such as better infant temperature stability, decreased pain, lower salivary cortisol level,
calmer behaviour response and promoted vocal interaction. They also found that fathers
who experienced SSC felt in control when caring for their infants, had better handling of
their infants, and were less stressed and anxious
✔✔Safe sleep - ✔✔Back to sleep, firm mattress free of hazards, crib or bassinet,
sharing your room, smoke-free, breastfeeding, avoid overheating
✔✔Oral anatomy of infant - ✔✔Lips: Assist in forming anterior seal and in stabilizing
nipple in position. Provide slight pressure at corners.
Hard Palate:Helps compress nipple, maintains nipple position
Tongue: sealing oral cavity, aids in bolus formation
Jaw: provides a stable base for movement of the tongue and creates negative pressure
Cheek:Provide stability to oral cavity. Aid in bolus formation
Soft palate: assists in creating posterior seal, elevates during swallow
✔✔Unique mouth and throat structures - ✔✔Mouth and throat structures in very close
proximity
A small, slightly retruded (pulled back) lower jaw
A wide U-shaped and flexible/movable palate
Ease of nose breathing
A tongue that fills the mouth at rest
A deeply cupped tongue when suckling
Gums that enlarge to assist with the latch
Ample sucking pads in the cheeks
Relatively horizontal positioning of the Eustachian tubes
, ✔✔Signs of effective feeding - ✔✔Chin touches breast with nose away from breast
Suckles rapidly for first few moments
Suckles rhythmically as milk flows
Deep strong sucks with occassional pauses, muscles by temples move with each suck
Cheeks are full and rounded (no dimples)
Swallows audibly ("ca" sound)
No clicking or smacking (not latched)
Relaxed (no clenched hands)
Milk is evident in mouthSatisfied after feed
Appropriate output
✔✔Key positioning of mothers - ✔✔Comfortable position
Pillows as needed
Maybe feet on stool so knees and thighs support infant
Shoulders relaxed
✔✔Key positioning of infant - ✔✔Whole torso up against mother chest to chest chin on
breast
Mothers hand supports shoulders
Direct nipple towards infants nose
✔✔How can HCPs promote skin to skin - ✔✔Gown on back to front to allow easy
access
Vitals on mothers chest
Skin to skin for 1hWeigh prone position on warm towel
Leave eye ointment for last to promote eye contact
Bath after first effective feeds (infant identifies mother from odor of amniotic fluid)
Assess bf
Encourage lots of skin to skin (also w partner)
✔✔Key positioning of breast - ✔✔Small breasts may not need to touch the breast of
mother may use finger to tip nipple up
Large breast hand under with fingers well back from areola using thumb to tip nipple up
Shaping the breast t o align with infants mouth may be helpful
✔✔Signs of Effective Feeding for the Mother - ✔✔Feels infant sucking strongly
May leak from other breast
May feel uterine contractions in first few days
Feel relaxed/drowsy at end
Breast feel softer after feed
Nipple elongated but round after feed
No cracks or bleeding
WITH ANSWERS TAGGED A+
✔✔Effects of colostrum on gut? - ✔✔Gut is permeable. Colostrum is thick and coats the
stomach to decrease the permeability of the gut preventing passage of large particles
and pathogen. Important not to give formula to breastfed infant before gut closure
occurs
✔✔What is skin to skin? - ✔✔Skin-to-skin contact was originally from the Kangaroo care
practice for premature infants. Today, it is recommended by the World Health
Organization (WHO) for parents with full-term infants who had no complications during
the first hour after birth, to prevent hypothermia and promote breastfeeding (WHO,
2018). Mothers are encouraged to place their infants in uninterrupted SSC immediately
following birth for at least an hour, or until the completion of the first feed, or for as long
as the mother wishes
✔✔How to do SSC? - ✔✔Skin-to-skin means that the mother places the dried and
naked infant (maybe in diaper) in chest-to-chest position with nothing between them,
such as blankets or clothing. The infant's shoulders should be touching the mother's
chest, and the infant's head should be turned to the side, so the nose is not blocked.
The infant's arms should be free on the sides of the body to move as they wish. Mothers
should be in a reclined position, not flat. Blankets should cover both the mother and
infant until temperature stability is achieved
✔✔Maternal benefits of SSC - ✔✔-Promotes Bonding and Attachment (releases
oxytocin which promotes bonding)
-May Prevent Maternal Depression (less physiological stress)
-Increases Interactions
-Improves Breastfeeding
✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: supports transitions - ✔✔Skin-to-skin contact supports and
may shorten the transition by helping the infant in many ways. It helps the infant:
-stay warmer
-have better temperature control in the postpartum period
-maintain blood glucose level
-maintain regular breathing patterns
-experience more efficient postnatal metabolic adjustments
-have improved cardio-respiratory stability
-cry less at birth
-have lower cortisol levels
-attain longer sleep periods and longer periods of alertness
-experience less caloric expenditure
gain weight faster
-have improved brain development
-have improved breastfeeding duration
,✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: enhances brain development - ✔✔SSC accelerates
maturation and increases complexity in infants' brain development.
✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: decreases pain during painful procedures - ✔✔Skin-to-skin
contact acts as non-pharmacological analgesia for newborns and helps them cope with
pain, including procedures such as vitamin K injection, blood dot screening, and so on
✔✔Infant benefits of SSC: strengthens the immune system - ✔✔The most effective way
to colonize the baby with healthy skin and gut flora is through SSC with the mother and
partner. Infants are less likely to get a nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infection if they
spend lots of time in skin-to-skin contact with their parents.
✔✔Benefits of SSC for preterm infant - ✔✔-Better state organization and autonomic
system functioning
-Enhanced physiologic stability
-Enhanced biologic co-regulation and synchrony with mother
-Better quality of sleep
✔✔Father SSC - ✔✔Father-infant SSC was beneficial in enhancing newborn outcomes
such as better infant temperature stability, decreased pain, lower salivary cortisol level,
calmer behaviour response and promoted vocal interaction. They also found that fathers
who experienced SSC felt in control when caring for their infants, had better handling of
their infants, and were less stressed and anxious
✔✔Safe sleep - ✔✔Back to sleep, firm mattress free of hazards, crib or bassinet,
sharing your room, smoke-free, breastfeeding, avoid overheating
✔✔Oral anatomy of infant - ✔✔Lips: Assist in forming anterior seal and in stabilizing
nipple in position. Provide slight pressure at corners.
Hard Palate:Helps compress nipple, maintains nipple position
Tongue: sealing oral cavity, aids in bolus formation
Jaw: provides a stable base for movement of the tongue and creates negative pressure
Cheek:Provide stability to oral cavity. Aid in bolus formation
Soft palate: assists in creating posterior seal, elevates during swallow
✔✔Unique mouth and throat structures - ✔✔Mouth and throat structures in very close
proximity
A small, slightly retruded (pulled back) lower jaw
A wide U-shaped and flexible/movable palate
Ease of nose breathing
A tongue that fills the mouth at rest
A deeply cupped tongue when suckling
Gums that enlarge to assist with the latch
Ample sucking pads in the cheeks
Relatively horizontal positioning of the Eustachian tubes
, ✔✔Signs of effective feeding - ✔✔Chin touches breast with nose away from breast
Suckles rapidly for first few moments
Suckles rhythmically as milk flows
Deep strong sucks with occassional pauses, muscles by temples move with each suck
Cheeks are full and rounded (no dimples)
Swallows audibly ("ca" sound)
No clicking or smacking (not latched)
Relaxed (no clenched hands)
Milk is evident in mouthSatisfied after feed
Appropriate output
✔✔Key positioning of mothers - ✔✔Comfortable position
Pillows as needed
Maybe feet on stool so knees and thighs support infant
Shoulders relaxed
✔✔Key positioning of infant - ✔✔Whole torso up against mother chest to chest chin on
breast
Mothers hand supports shoulders
Direct nipple towards infants nose
✔✔How can HCPs promote skin to skin - ✔✔Gown on back to front to allow easy
access
Vitals on mothers chest
Skin to skin for 1hWeigh prone position on warm towel
Leave eye ointment for last to promote eye contact
Bath after first effective feeds (infant identifies mother from odor of amniotic fluid)
Assess bf
Encourage lots of skin to skin (also w partner)
✔✔Key positioning of breast - ✔✔Small breasts may not need to touch the breast of
mother may use finger to tip nipple up
Large breast hand under with fingers well back from areola using thumb to tip nipple up
Shaping the breast t o align with infants mouth may be helpful
✔✔Signs of Effective Feeding for the Mother - ✔✔Feels infant sucking strongly
May leak from other breast
May feel uterine contractions in first few days
Feel relaxed/drowsy at end
Breast feel softer after feed
Nipple elongated but round after feed
No cracks or bleeding
