There is nothing sweeter than holding and snuggling those sweet newborns, and be mesmerized by their little faces! While the joy from these snuggles is great, there are actually so many health benefits for them and us, as well. Research shows that spending time snuggling, specifically with skin to skin contact, can improve our babies' adaptation to extrauterine life and support proper growth and development. It also helps both moms and dads bond with their baby, reduces postpartum depression, and more!
What is Skin to Skin Contact?
Skin-to-skin contact (SSC), sometimes called “kangaroo care” is just what it sounds like, snuggling baby with skin touching, and as little clothing, blankets, etc. in between as possible. SSC is shown to increase oxytocin levels in babies, mothers and fathers. Oxytocin is called the love hormone, and is shown to increase feelings of security, calmness, and satisfaction while reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Increased levels of oxytocin in the postpartum period have also shown an increase in parent-infant bonding and attachment.
Benefits of Skin to Skin for Baby
SSC is especially important in the first hour after birth, which is also known as “The Golden Hour.” As long as the baby is stable, the infant should be placed immediately on his/her mother’s abdomen and moved to the chest once the umbilical cord is clamped and cut. Early assessment of the newborn can often be done during SSC, and should be advocated for if this is not the standard in your birth setting. SSC has many physiological benefits to babies, including stabilizing the blood-oxygen level, body temperature, blood glucose and breathing rate. Continued SSC during infancy is associated with a decreased likelihood of infection, severe illness, and infant death, reduced infant crying, and enhanced infant growth and development. Studies have even shown that stable, pre-term infants are shown to be discharged home from the hospital sooner when they have continuous SSC with a parent.
SSC also stimulates early breastfeeding and increases lactation and duration of breastfeeding. With immediate SSC where the infant is laid on the mother’s chest after delivery, and no interference from health care providers, an infant will often work its way toward the nipple within 20 minutes, and will initiate suckling and breastfeeding within 50 minutes without the need for any help. Interesting fact: if you are having difficulty with breastfeeding later on, this is also a great way to “reset,” and encourage spontaneous feeding by your infant. Lay in a recliner or propped up on a few pillows and place the infant, with just a diaper on, onto your bare chest. The infant will start to do a little head bob and will gradually make its way to the nipple without much or any need for intervention.
Benefits of Skin to Skin for Mom
Major benefits for the mom include a decrease in postpartum hemorrhage and postpartum depression. Postpartum hemorrhage is when the mother is bleeding too much after delivery. Though there can be a number of causes, one of the most common causes is that the uterus is not contracting well enough. Like the contractions of labor that are stimulated by oxytocin, the uterus also needs oxytocin after delivery to contract the uterus. This contraction “squeezes” the uterine blood vessels and decreases blood flow. With the increase in oxytocin that comes with SSC, we can see how this would be helpful in reducing postpartum hemorrhage.
Postpartum depression is what it sounds like. Though it is very common for women to have ups and down in the postpartum period, a funk that you can’t get out of is not normal. Please seek help if you are having trouble caring for yourself or for your baby or are having thoughts of hurting yourself of your baby. Regular SSC is known to help reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression, quite possibly related to that same love hormone, oxytocin, which increases feelings of security and reduces feelings of anxiety.
Benefits of Skin to Skin for Dad
Further parental SSC, whether between the mother and the child or the father and the child can deepen attachment and emotional relationships, and has been shown to raise parental confidence toward child care. Another study in Taiwan showed that fathers who had roughly 15 minutes of SSC in the first three days postpartum had greater confidence in touching, talking and caring for their infant than the control group who did not participate in SSC, so mothers, please encourage the dads in your life to have SSC time with their babies as well. It is incredibly beneficial for their relationship with their children.
How to Do Skin to Skin Contact
With benefits for babies, mothers and fathers, regular SSC is a simple way to bond with your baby, can be done with either parent, and can greatly impact the health of and well-being of moms, dads, and babies. The best way to do this is to have the baby in just their diaper, and the baby laid on the mother or father’s bare chest. Find a comfortable position, possibly in a recliner or propped on some pillows and aim for 15-20 minutes daily. Though I have not seen a specific study on the timing of day that is best for SSC, I recommend it just before bedtime to increase feelings of security and comfort before lying baby down for bed. Enjoy snuggling your little ones, and try to soak up all the time you have with them while they’re so little.
References:
Campbell-Yeo, M., Disher, T. C., Benoit, B. L., & Johnston, C. C. (2015). Understanding kangaroo care and its benefits to preterm infants. Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 6, 15-32. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/PHMT.S51869 Er-Mei, C., Gau, M., Chieh-Yu, L., & Lee, T. (2017). Effects of father-neonate skin-to-skin contact on attachment: A randomized controlled trial. Nursing Research and Practice, 2017 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/8612024
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