Comparative Effect of the Smells of Amniotic Fluid, Breast Milk, and Lavender on Newborns’ Pain During Heel Lance

Introduction: The aim of this randomized controlled experimental study was to evaluate the effect of the smells of amniotic fluid, breast milk, and lavender on the pain of newborns during heel lance. Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 102 newborn infants who complied with the sampling criteria between August and November, 2011. The newborns smelled the samples (lavender, breast milk, amniotic fluid, and distilled water) for 5 minutes before the heel lance until 5 minutes afterward. The Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), heart rate, and oxygen saturation were evaluated 1 minute before, during, and 1 minute after the heel lance. Data were evaluated by descriptive statistics, chi-square, intraclass correlation analysis, Spearman's rho correlation, Bonferroni's advanced analysis, Shapiro–Wilk, Kruskal–Wallis, Mann–Whitney U, Friedman, and Dunnett's tests. Results: The newborns in the control group had severe pain and the newborns in the breast milk, amniotic fluid, and lavender groups had moderate pain during the heel lance (p < 0.05). While the NIPS score of the newborns in the lavender group was lower than the breast milk and amniotic fluid groups during the heel lance, it was lower in the breast milk and amniotic fluid groups than the lavender group afterward. The lowest falls in oxygen saturation and increased in heart rate were in the breast milk and lavender groups during heel the lance. Conclusion: The smells of lavender and breast milk prevent the increased heart rates, NIPS, falling oxygen saturation, and reduced pain during the invasive procedures in newborns more than amniotic fluid or control group.