An interventional study of Virtual Reality Distraction and Standard Protocol in Anxiety, Milk Expression, Breast and Breast Milk Collection, sponsored by St. Justine's Hospital. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Canada. Open to female participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-08-24.
Sponsored by St. Justine's Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Background In neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), mothers are encouraged to express their milk using an electric breast pump. This practice is promoted by nurses and neonatologists due to its beneficial outcomes for newborns. Compared to newborns exclusively fed commercial infant formula, preterm newborns fed breast milk (BM) are less likely to suffer from necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis. However, the discomfort associated with using an electrical pump may discourage its use, and almost all mothers start expressing their BM after a premature birth but many stop after a few weeks due to fatigue and stress. Therefore, virtual reality (VR), an immersive experience, seems to be an interesting option as it would provide a relaxing environment and distract mothers of newborns in NICU from the stress and discomfort experienced in order to promote breast milk expression.
Aim
The aim of this within-subject, pilot clinical trial is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of VR on stress, discomfort, and volume of expressed milk in mothers of preterm newborns.
Methods
Design:
Within-subject, randomized pilot clinical trial in which participants are their own control.
Setting and sample:
Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a Montreal pediatric teaching university center. Newborns under 29 weeks of age were chose to ensure that newborns would be admitted and remain in the NICU. The objective is to recruit 20 mothers of premature newborns. This will correspond to a total sample of 40 participants as they will be their own control. There will be 50% more mothers recruited (10) to compensate for the usually high attrition or rejection rate for this population, thus a total sample of 30 mothers. Healthcare professionals (nurses and doctors) providing care to participating mothers will be asked to fill a questionnaire on the feasibility of the VR intervention.
Randomization and exposure to the interventions:
The sequence of exposure to VR will be randomized, not the participants: sequence of 2 days with VR and 2 days without VR. The study will take place over the course of one week. Participating mothers will either be exposed to VR for a minimum of 2 sessions of 30 minutes/day for two days and the following two days to the control intervention or the opposite.
In neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), mothers are encouraged to express their milk using an electric breast pump. The milk is then fed to the premature newborns by a feeding tube until they are stable and mature enough to feed at the breast or by bottle. This practice is promoted by nurses and neonatologists due to its beneficial outcomes for newborns. Compared to newborns exclusively fed commercial infant formula, preterm newborns fed breast milk (BM) are less likely to suffer from necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis. In addition, preterm births are often associated with multiple stressors (C-section, separation from the newborn). However, the discomfort associated with using an electrical pump may discourage its use (noise, uncomfortable sensations in the breasts). Overall, almost all mothers start expressing their BM after a premature birth but many stop after a few weeks due to fatigue and stress.
Current recommendations for mothers expressing BM in the NICU include regular skin-to-skin contact as well as being at the bedside or looking at the newborn's photo. Although these methods are effective in increasing BM production, they are not used by all mothers in the NICU. It appears that these strategies remind mothers of being separated from their newborn. Using distraction strategies when expressing BM could be a coping mechanism for such feelings.Few distraction interventions aimed at reducing maternal stress during breast milk expression have been identified in the literature. Some studies have examined the effect of music during milk expression in mothers of newborns hospitalized in the NICU. Researchers observed BM volume increase, nutritional value improvement and maternal cortisol level decrease. Furthermore, interventions focused on relaxation techniques for breastfeeding mothers have shown an increase in milk volume and a weight gain in newborns. Therefore, virtual reality (VR), an immersive experience (auditory and visually) seems to be an interesting option as it would provide a relaxing environment and distract mothers of newborns in NICU from the stress and discomfort experienced in order to promote breast milk expression.
Aim
The aim of this within-subject, pilot clinical trial is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of VR on stress, discomfort, and volume of expressed milk in mothers of preterm newborns.
Objectives
The secondary objectives of this study are as follows:
Methods
Design:
Within-subject, randomized pilot clinical trial in which participants are their own control.
Setting and sample:
Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a Montreal pediatric teaching university center. Newborns under 29 weeks of age were chosen to ensure that they would be admitted and remain in the NICU.The objective is to recruit 20 mothers of premature newborns. This will correspond to a total sample of 40 participants as they will be their own control. There will be 50% more mothers (10) recruited to compensate for the usually high attrition or rejection rate for this population, thus a total sample of 30 mothers. Healthcare professionals (nurses and doctors) providing care to participating mothers will be asked to fill a questionnaire on the feasibility of the VR intervention.
Randomization and exposure to the interventions : The sequence of exposure to VR will be randomized, not the participants: sequence of 2 days with VR and 2 days without VR in the same week. The study will take place over the course of one week. Participating mothers will either be exposed to VR for a minimum of 2 sessions of 30 minutes/day for two days and the following two days to the control intervention or the opposite. The frequency of VR use will be documented.
Measures of the primary outcomes
Measures of the feasibility of the VR intervention and the design (healthcare professionals related to participants) : Questionnaires consisting of 10 Likert-type questions ranging from 0 (= strongly disagree) to 4 (= strongly agree), to be completed at the end of the study participation period.
Measures of acceptability and satisfaction with the VR intervention (mothers): Mothers' acceptability will be measured using the Treatment Acceptability \& Preference (TAP) questionnaire, 10 questions (6 Likert from 0 (= not at all) to 4 (= strongly) and 4 open-ended questions) as well as with the VAS from 0 (= completely unsatisfied) to 10 (= extremely satisfied) for satisfaction.
Volume of milk expressed: Volume (in mL) of maternal milk expressed by the mother via a breast pump after each milk expression session. Volume will be collected by mothers in a diary provided by the NICU.
Virtual reality specifications
Virtual reality (VR) immerses patients both visually and auditorily in an artificial environment. Inside the virtual reality headset, a depiction of a scene or an imaginary place can be visualized. The INSPIRE Therapeutic Virtual Reality program combines elements of relaxation and sensor-guided deep breathing exercises. The user is immersed in a peaceful forest. In order to lift a feather, the participant has to control her breathing and follow the rhythm suggested. The headset and the relaxation program were designed by Paperplane Therapeutics.
Analyses
Means, standard deviations, and confidence intervals for quantitative data. Paired t-tests to compare the results of the two groups (expressed volume and discomfort). Comparisons of stress at the 4 measurement times using Repeated Measures-ANOVAs (intra- and intersubject comparisons, controlling for carry-over effect). Subgroup analyses (gender, breastfeeding experience, gestational age, number of VR sessions) are planned. A significance level of 0.05 will be used, but the purpose of the study is not to determine the efficacy of VR
88 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Milk Expression; 20 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 60 across 49 interventional studies indexed under Breast Milk Expression.
Browse Breast Milk Expression studies →St. Justine's Hospital is the lead sponsor of 156 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.
Compared within Breast Milk Expression, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Anxiety Disorders. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Use of virtual reality (VR) during maternal milk expression.
Device: Virtual Reality Distraction
Mothers will express their maternal milk in a private room in the NICU with their baby or a photo of the baby.
Other: Standard Protocol
In a private NICU room, mothers will wear a head-mounted VR device when they will initiate the expression of their maternal milk. The video within the VR system will provide a calm forest environment with waterfalls, animals, and birdsong (INSPIRE® Program). The baby may or may not be present in the room during the intervention. This will be documented.
Mothers will express their maternal milk in a private room in the NICU with their baby or a photo of the baby. Use of any co-interventions for anxiety management (e.g. music) durign this sequence will be documented.
The feasibility of VR with healthcare professionals
Assessing the feasibility (ease of use, maintenance) of VR with nursing and medical staff. Questionnaires consisting of 10 Likert-type questions ranging from 0 to 4.
Time frame: To be reported at the end of the study participation period (1 week).
Mothers' acceptability and satisfaction of VR
Mothers' acceptability will be measured using the Treatment Acceptability \& Preference (TAP) questionnaire, 10 questions (6 Likert from 0 to 4 and 4 open-ended questions) as well as with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied) for satisfaction
Time frame: Mothers' acceptability will be measured at the end of the study participation (1 week).
Volume of milk expressed in a day
Volume (in mL) of maternal milk expressed by the mother via a breast pump in a day. Volume will be collected by mothers in a diary provided by the NICU.
Time frame: It will be assessed every time mothers express their milk and the diary will be collected at the end of study participation (1 week).
Stress
Level of stress of mothers will be measured at the beginning and end of each two-days-long sequence with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0 to 10, and one of the subscales (Relationships with baby and parental role) of the Parental Stressor Scale-Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (PSS-NICU), 11 Likert-type questions, from 1 to 5.
Time frame: To be completed before the first sequence (On day 1) , immediately after the first sequence (On day 2), before the second sequence (On day 3) and immediately after the second sequence (On day 4) over the maximum study participation of 1 week.
Discomfort during expression
Level of mothers' discomfort measured at the end of each two-days-long sequence, with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0 to 10
Time frame: To be measured immediately at the end of each sequence (On day 2 and day 4) over the maximum study participation of 1 week.
Rate of participation
Rate of participants completing all the measures at the end of the study.
Time frame: It will be reported in percentage at the end of the study time period (approximately 1 year)
Recruitment rate
Rate in percentage of participants recruited for the study
Time frame: It will be reported in percentage at the end of the study period (approx 1 year).
Response rate to the questionnaires
Rate in percentage of completed questionnaires
Time frame: It will be reported in percentage at the end of the study period (approx 1 year).
Start is estimated for Jan 2026; primary completion for Jan 2027, 12 months later.
Of 32 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Breast Milk Expression, half reached primary completion within 17 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 28. This study's planned 12 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 39 studies reached it within 13 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 28.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Aug 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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