A newborn baby is very fragile and needs extra care. Skin-to-skin contact offers them the protection and comfort they need. Be it a full-term baby or a premature baby, skin-to-skin contact benefits both the baby and the caregiver.
Skin-to-skin contact, as the name suggests, is a method of caring for newborn babies by holding their bare bodies against the mother’s bare skin. Also known as kangaroo care, this method of caring for babies is a regular practice in many hospitals, especially for premature babies.
Scientific research shows that skin-to-skin contact for the first 60 – 90 minutes after birth can be very beneficial for both the baby and the mother. It provides both short-term and long-term benefits for both and also promotes bonding between them.
The very first hour after birth is a sensitive period for both mom and baby. Kangaroo care or skin-to-skin contact during this time can help calm both mother and baby who have just been through the delivery process. It is cheap, easy to do, and does not require any extra facilities.
In case of premature births, most hospitals recommend skin-to-skin contact for a few hours every day until the baby is safe and healthy. Both parents can offer this care, and it can be done even after going back home.
Studies show that skin-to-skin contact with newborn or very young babies can have the following impact on the baby:
Newborn babies, especially premature babies, benefit a lot from kangaroo mother care in terms of their growth and development. Some ways in which skin-to-skin contact facilitates a baby’s growth are:
● Brain Development – The baby is less stressed and more regulated due to the skin contact. This facilitates better brain development and better thinking and reduces the production of stress hormones, which can interfere with bodily functions.
● Reduces Infections – As mentioned earlier, skin-to-skin contact helps improve the baby’s immune system, thus keeping them safe from infections. This, in turn, will reduce the number of times the baby falls ill. When a baby contracts an infection, their feeding decreases, their growth slows down, and they become weak. With fewer such episodes, their growth will be much better.
● Promotes Sleep – Close contact promotes the secretion of feel-good hormones and reduces stress hormones in the baby. As a result, they tend to sleep better and for longer periods of time. Sleep is crucial for the baby’s growth and development.
When you strap the baby to the mother’s bare body for skin-to-skin contact, you will notice the baby will reach down to suckle on the breast as and when they are hungry. This close contact allows them to breastfeed whenever they want.
As a result, these babies will feed more frequently, the mother’s body will produce more milk due to the increased demand, and the baby will also get more milk. It is a cycle that facilitates more breastmilk production and breastfeeding, which in turn leads to better weight gain in the baby.
Skin-to-skin contact also offers these advantages, which aid a better breastfeeding experience for the baby:
● Since the baby is close to the breast, they can smell the milk and feel more hungry more often.
● There is no timed feeding, which is the usual case with newborn babies or premature babies (they are always fed at timed intervals as they may be away from the mother and sleeping most of the time).
● There is no trauma of taking the baby away from the breast or the mother once the breastfeeding is done. The baby continues to be in contact with the mother, so they feel safe and secure. With less crying, the chances of throwing up or being disturbed in sleep are lower.
● There are no distractions during breastfeeding. The baby does not get disturbed by the lights or noise around. The close contact with the mother’s body makes them feel secure and sudden sounds don’t startle them.
Skin-to-skin contact may seem like a lot of work for a new mother who is recovering from the delivery. Remember, this is crucial for your newborn and can benefit babies in the following ways:
1. It helps regulate the baby’s heart rate and breathing.
2. Helps regulate a baby’s body temperature. Babies can’t regulate their body temperature as well as adults and tend to lose heat quickly. Skin-to-skin contact can help keep them warm.
3. It helps improve the bond between the parent and the baby. The baby gets familiar with your skin smell and your voice and can also hear your heartbeat.
4. Helps new mothers release oxytocin – a hormone that stimulates breastmilk production and flow when a baby needs to be fed.
5. Builds the baby’s immunity and keeps them safer from infections. Babies are born with very little immunity and are prone to infections. Skin-to-skin contact introduces beneficial bacteria from the mother to the baby’s skin, thus helping the baby's immune system develop.
Skin-to-skin contact is one of the cheapest forms of baby care with maximum benefits. Anyone can do it, and it requires no special equipment or monitoring. Practice skin-to-skin contact with your new baby and watch them develop and gain weight without any difficulties.
You can start skin-to-skin contact with your baby soon after the delivery itself. In fact, it is recommended to offer skin-to-skin care for newborn babies for the first 60 – 90 minutes after birth. You can continue doing it for the next few weeks or even months.
When you practice skin-to-skin contact with your baby, you can know your baby is benefiting from it if you notice their breathing and heartbeat are more stabilised, they cry less, are fed better, oxygen saturation improves, and the weight gain is good.
Skin-to-skin contact is the method of holding the baby against the mother’s body – with both skin touching. This care can be offered by the father as well. It can help regulate the baby’s breathing, heartbeat, and body temperature and also help to forge a good bond between the caregiver and the baby.
