During pregnancy, your baby is in constant contact with you- and you, with them! All of this closeness, comfort, and connection is a big part of how a fetus grows and develops into an almost-fully-developed baby after only 40 weeks. And guess what? When that baby is born, their needs are pretty similar to what they were not that long ago, when they were still safe in your uterus: closeness, comfort, and connection with you. And this can all start right away, at birth.
If you and your baby are both healthy, your baby should be in direct, skin-to-skin contact with you right after birth, for at least the first 1-2 hours. After the cord is cut, baby can be placed on their tummy on your bare chest, with a warm blanket covering the both of you. Drying your baby, taking their temperature, and monitoring their breathing can all happen while your baby is in this position- and the weighing, measuring, and newborn procedures can all wait. If the birth parent is unable to provide these essential cuddles, another parent can step in and begin the process with the new baby.
Why is skin to skin so great? Here are just a few reasons:
1. Skin to skin regulates your baby’s temperature.
Babies are no good at maintaining their body temperature, and rely on their parents to keep them warm. Sure, clothes and blankets can do the trick, and a warmer can stand in- but your body is better at doing this than an artificial warmer will ever be.
2. Skin to skin stabilizes your baby’s heart rate.
In the first few moments after birth, your baby’s body goes through a dramatic transition as they adjust from an aquatic world to one filled with air. Babies who make this transition in skin to skin contact with their parent tend to fare much better and make the transition in a much more stable way.
3. Skin to skin provides pain relief for your baby.
Being born is almost as rough as giving birth. Holding your baby skin to skin gives your baby an oxytocin surge, which also releases endorphins (a pain-relieving hormone). Numerous studies have shown us that when your baby is skin to skin with you, their pain levels are much lower.
4. Skin to skin helps your baby figure out breastfeeding.
Your baby comes fully equipped with several amazing instincts and reflexes, and all of them are on full alert in the first hour after birth. Every healthy newborn, when given enough time and access, will use these instincts to drive themselves (yes, they can actually crawl across your chest) to a breast and latch on for their first dose of colostrum.
5. Skin to skin promotes bonding and attachment.
During the first hour after birth, both you and your baby are buzzing from a major oxytocin high. One of the goals of oxytocin- also known as the “love hormone”- is to promote bonding, connection, and attachment. Holding your baby skin to skin helps the both of you to get to know each other, learn each other’s language and cues, and to fall in love together.
The first hour after birth is often referred to as the “Golden Hour”, and with good reason. With so much going on for your baby, it’s important to give them the best start possible- and that means you. Everything else can wait. As your baby grows, the benefits don’t diminish. Even once you’re past the newborn stage, continue doing at least 1-2 hours of uninterrupted skin to skin cuddling each day. It won’t ever stop feeling good for both of you!
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