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A number of studies have been made on the sleep characteristics of children born preterm in an attempt to develop methods to address the sleep problems commonly observed among such children. However, the reported sleep characteristics from these studies vary depending on the observation methods used, i.e., actigraphy, polysomnography and questionnaire. In the current study, to obtain reliable data on the sleep characteristics of preterm-born children, we investigated the difference in sleep properties between 97 preterm and 97 term toddlers of approximately 1.5 years of age using actigraphy. Actigraphy units were attached to the toddlers’ waists with an adjustable elastic belt for 7 consecutive days, and a child sleep diary was completed by their parents. In the study, we found that preterm toddlers had more nocturnal awakenings and more daytime activity, suggesting that preterm-born children may have a different process of sleep development in their early development.

Background and Objectives The rate of cesarean section (CS) at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is currently higher than 50%. Mothers and infants are typically separated immediately after CS. The aims of this study were to develop and implement an early skin-to-skin contact (SSC) after CS protocol and to describe the mothers’ perceptions of early SSC after CS. Design An action research design with a questionnaire survey was used. Setting MNH located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Patients Pregnant women who underwent elective repeat CS from August 2018 to the end of September 2018. Intervention A two-step educational program, which consisted of a training program for the medical staff and an information program for the pregnant women, and early SSC after CS were implemented. Interviews were conducted to examine the participants’ perceptions of SSC after CS. Results A total of 26 pregnant women were recruited, of whom 17 (65%) participated. All 17 mothers answered very satisfied or satisfied of the early SSC after CS using a 5-point scale. The information program for the pregnant women was scored on a 10-point scale (0 = completely useless; 10 = very useful). There were 15 mothers (88%) who scored the program 10 points, and the remaining two mothers (12%) eight points. Some mothers wanted extended times and places of early SSC after CS. Conclusions The developed early SSC after CS protocol facilitated understanding of the perceptions of SSC after CS and may be a promising program for implementing early SSC after CS.