New Parent Must-Know: Why Skin-To-Skin Is Essential

As a new mom, there are a lot of things to think about in the first few moments after giving birth. One decision you might face is whether to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby right away or whether to wait until after they have been cleaned up and evaluated. While both approaches have their merits, skin-to-skin contact right after birth can have a profound impact on you and your baby.

What is Skin-to-Skin Contact?

So, what is skin-to-skin contact and why is it so important? Simply put, skin-to-skin contact involves placing your bare chest against your baby’s bare chest, allowing for direct skin-to-skin contact. This can be done immediately after birth, before the baby has been bathed or dressed. Skin-to-skin contact, also known as “kangaroo care,” is the practice of placing a naked baby on the bare chest of their parent, usually the mother, immediately after birth. The baby’s head and body are covered with a blanket or cloth, leaving only their back exposed, and they are positioned so that their face is close to the parent’s chest. This type of contact allows for direct skin-to-skin contact and physical contact between the baby and their parent, promoting bonding and providing numerous physical and emotional benefits.

Benefits of Skin-to-Skin

For Baby

1. Helps With Regulation: One of the most immediate benefits of skin-to-skin contact for a newborn is that it can help regulate their body temperature. The warmth from the mother’s chest can help keep the baby warm and comfortable, reducing the risk of hypothermia. Skin-to-skin also helps babies to regulate their breathing, heart rate, and glucose levels.

2. Promotes Bonding: Babies who receive immediate skin-to-skin contact with their mother are generally less likely to cry and have an easier time being soothed than babies who did not receive immediate skin-to-skin. Skin-to-skin contact promotes the release of oxytocin, a hormone that is associated with bonding. This can help to establish a strong and intimate connection between mother and baby, promoting feelings of comfort and trust.

3. Calms Baby: Newborns can experience a great deal of stress during the transition from the womb to the outside world. Skin-to-skin contact can help to calm a baby and reduce their stress levels, making the transition easier.

4. Supports Breastfeeding: That initial skin-to-skin contact is when a newborn first exhibits their breastfeeding reflexes, which includes rooting around and finding and latching onto their mother’s nipple. By having skin-to-skin contact, a baby is more likely to begin nursing and start the process of stimulating milk production in the mother’s breasts. This is important for establishing a healthy milk supply and promoting long-term breastfeeding success.

5. Weight Gain: Babies that experience immediate and more skin-to-skin contact generally gain weight faster than babies that receive less skin-to-skin contact.

For Mom

1. Increases Oxytocin: Oxytocin is a hormone that plays a key role in bonding with your baby and promoting feelings of love and warmth. By having skin-to-skin contact, a mother’s production of oxytocin is increased, helping to establish a strong connection with her baby. This hormone also helps the mother’s uterus to contract, which is beneficial for stopping bleeding or expelling the placenta.

2. Reduces Pain: Skin-to-skin contact has been shown to have a pain-relieving effect, making it an effective way to manage pain after birth.

3. Promotes Milk Production: Skin-to-skin contact helps strengthen the “golden hour,” which is the first hour after birth when your baby is most alert and responsive. This is an important time for bonding and increasing your milk supply, as your baby’s initial suckling can help to stimulate milk production and promote long-term breastfeeding success.

4. Helps with Postpartum Depression: The release of oxytocin during skin-to-skin contact can also help to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety and promote feelings of happiness and contentment. This can be especially important for mothers who are at risk for postpartum depression.

5. Recognizing Signs: When mothers have this skin-to-skin time, it is easier for them to learn their baby’s signals for hunger, fullness, discomfort, and much more. This can greatly impact the mothers confidence in her abilities to care for her baby and helps babies develop a feeling of trust and security.

Skin-To-Skin Tips

When performing skin-to-skin, the baby should be naked and held on the mother’s bare chest, with a blanket over the baby’s back. It is best for the initial contact to be with the mother, but partners are encouraged to participate too. Make sure that the room is warm and that distractions and interruptions are kept to a minimal. The best time for skin-to-skin contact is immediately after birth. If it is done later, the mother and baby may still receive some of the benefits listed above, but likely to a lesser extent. Try to maintain skin-to-skin contact for at least an hour, but longer durations are encouraged if possible.

In summation, skin-to-skin contact after birth can offer numerous benefits for both mother and baby. Whether you are planning for your first birth or your fifth, it is important to consider the power of skin-to-skin and what it can offer you and your baby. By having skin-to-skin contact, you can promote bonding, reduce stress and pain, stimulate milk production, and begin your journey as a mother in a way that is truly special and meaningful.