You’ve put in the hard labor and now your bundle of joy has arrived! What’s next? Skin-to-skin is the practice of holding your naked baby on your bare chest. With or without a diaper, but no hat or socks are necessary. This practice is a biological norm for mothering. When you perform skin-to-skin care (SSC), it activates natural mothering instincts and supports your baby’s ability to breastfeed.
Why is it so important?
- Helps with your recovery and your baby’s recovery after delivery
- Calms and relaxes as well as reduces pain
- Regulates your baby’s heart and respiratory rate
- Maintains your baby’s blood sugar levels
- Reduces your risk of postpartum hemorrhage
- Stimulates the hormones involved in breastfeeding
Skin-to-skin and breastfeeding
- Skin-to-skin during the first hour helps you to initiate breastfeeding sooner. Mothers who perform SSC during this time often exclusively breastfeed for longer.
- When your baby is on your bare chest after delivery, they will go through periods where they are awake and active, then restful. Placed near your breast, they will become familiar with the landmarks and scent of your body. When given the opportunity, most babies will self-attach and begin nursing within the first hour of life.
When should you do it?
- Skin-to-skin should be initiated immediately after delivery through the first breastfeeding session and continue for at least one hour. Your baby should be held naked on your bare chest in a vertical position with their arms and legs flexed and face visible.
- In the first few weeks of learning to breastfeed, it is best to do so skin-to-skin. Removing all barriers of clothing and blankets helps your baby get a closer, deeper latch.
- Get into the habit of performing SSC before nursing sessions. The hormones that produce and express milk will increase. Your baby will be able to smell the milk and be more interested in nursing. Skin-to-skin after breastfeeding also aids in digestion.
- Skin-to-skin promotes bonding and should continue outside of the hospital setting. It is known to decrease the risk of postpartum depression when practiced routinely. Partners and other support people should also be encouraged to perform SSC to bond with the baby.
Special considerations
Even if your pregnancy or delivery is outside of the norm, you can and should still perform skin-to-skin. If you know that you will be giving birth to multiples, having a cesarean section or your baby needs to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit, speak to your hospital about their SSC policies. Many Baby Friendly hospitals throughout the country support and encourage SSC and breastfeeding. You can learn more about the Baby Friendly Initiative here.
- Mothers of multiples can provide SSC for one or more of their babies. In fact, her breasts will alter their temperatures individually to meet each baby’s needs.
- If you have to have a cesarean section, advocate for your baby to be placed on your chest behind the sterile curtain while surgery is completed.
- In a neonatal intensive care setting SSC may be called kangaroo care. Even premature babies benefit from kangaroo care. It regulates their heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature. It also improves oxygenation. This time of bonding is imperative for parents who are separated from their babies at birth.
Skin-to-skin contact has many benefits for you and your baby in the immediate postpartum period and beyond. Speak to your provider and hospital about their policies on skin-to-skin. Seek out a Baby Friendly Certified hospital in your area. Include this important practice in your birth plan. Then, kick back and enjoy all those sweet snuggles. For more information on how to get a great jumpstart breastfeeding check out our post “Getting started…” and follow us on social media.
