Skin-to-Skin Contact
Hold your baby skin-to-skin as soon as possible after giving birth
This special time will help both of you recover from the birth, strengthen baby’s immune system, support bonding, and help baby latch on to the breast. Hold baby without any interruptions, for an hour or more, or as long as you wish. Premature babies benefit from this, too.
As your baby grows, continue holding your baby skin-to-skin. Holding your baby skin to skin can help reduce discomfort during painful procedures such as the drawing of blood or immunization.
The importance of skin-to-skin:
- Helps your baby feel safe and secure.
- Stabilizes your baby’s heart rate, breathing, and blood sugar.
- Keeps your baby warm.
- Promotes bonding and getting to know your baby.
- Helps your baby to be calm and cry less.
- Helps your milk flow and may improve your milk supply.
- Mothers learn when their baby is getting hungry.
- Promotes a good latch.
- Helps you to be more confident and relaxed.
How to hold your baby skin-to-skin:
- Baby wears only a diaper.
- Baby is in an upright position.
- Baby’s chest is on the skin of mom’s chest.
- Baby’s nose and mouth are visible, and baby is free to lift their head.
- As much of baby’s skin as possible should be against the mother’s skin.
- Baby’s arms and hands are not tucked under baby but against mother’s skin.
- A light blanket can be put across the baby’s back.
Your partner, or another person you are close to can provide skin-to-skin care to comfort and nurture your baby too.
Resources:
- Breastfeeding and Skin-to-Skin Contact (video) - Healthy Families BC
- Skin-to-skin (video) – Region of Peel