Skin-to-skin contact is when a baby is dried and placed on the mother’s bare chest after birth, covered in a warm blanket. In neonatal units, it is known as ‘kangaroo care’.
A new study with 15,000 infants found that kangaroo care, starting within 24 hours of birth, reduced childhood mortality by about a third.
The World Health Organization also recommended immediate skin-to-skin care for small and preterm babies.
Holding a baby close to a parent’s naked chest can help them survive and thrive, especially when born prematurely.
The process of skin-to-skin contact
A mother needs to connect with her baby so she can nurture the baby.
After delivery, a mother’s skin-to-skin contact with her baby causes strong natural behaviours.
The mother feels maternal hormones, connects with the child, starts to smell, stroke, and interact with her infant. Her maternal instincts fully kick in.
When placed skin-to-skin on their mother’s chest, babies often cry briefly before settling into a calm state. They may make small movements, crawl towards the breast, and eventually wake up.
This period of bonding is essential. When the baby is on the mother’s chest, their instincts force them to follow a process that, if not disrupted, will result in their first breastfeeding.
They become comfortable with their mother’s breast and become attached to it by themselves, resulting in fewer issues getting the baby breastfed.
After finding the breast, they typically relax, become familiar with it, latch on on their own, and start feeding.
However, most times you have to guide them during this process, and most times, they will fall asleep.
Why is skin-to-skin contact special?
According to UNICEF, skin-to-skin contact is essential after birth for both newborns and their mothers.
- It calms and relaxes both, regulates the baby’s heart rate and breathing, and stimulates digestion.
- It also boosts oxygen saturation, lowers cortisol levels, promotes pre-feeding behaviour, and shortens hospital stays.
- Increases milk volume if the mother feeds after skin-to-skin contact, with the expressed milk carrying the most recent antibodies.
- It also regulates temperature and allows friendly bacteria from the mother to colonise the baby’s skin, which provides infection protection.
- Stimulates hormone release for breastfeeding and mothering.
