Just after delivery, your care team’s first goal will likely be to get you and your brand new baby some skin-to-skin time. Also known as Kangaroo Care, skin-to-skin contact is when you hold your little one on your chest against your bare skin for some uninterrupted bonding time. Here’s what to know about skin-to-skin contact—including why it’s so beneficial for both you and your baby.
How to Do Skin-to-Skin Contact with Your Baby
Whether directly after delivery or in the days and weeks after birth, you and baby can participate in kangaroo care in the same way:
- Sit in a comfortable chair or lay down with pillows behind you to prop you up
- Strip baby down to their diaper, and take off or unbutton the front of your shirt
- Place baby chest down on your chest, with their head under your chin
- Place a blanket over baby’s back for extra warmth
- Enjoy those snuggles!
Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact
Spending time skin-to-skin in the first hour after your baby’s birth is known as the "golden hour" where you and baby have your first moments together.
There are a ton of benefits for your baby while you spend those first precious moments doing skin-to-skin after delivery:
- Being close to your touch, your smell and the sound of your heartbeat helps to ease baby’s transition out of the womb and into the world.
- Skin-to-skin time keeps baby warm and helps them regulate their body temperature. In fact, your body actually adjusts to help baby. Your body will increase in temperature if your baby is cold, and decrease in temperature if your baby is too hot.
- Spending time skin-to-skin is also proven to help baby regulate their heart rate, breathing and even their blood sugar.
Kangaroo care is also extremely important for mamas, too. Benefits for moms include:
- Stimulating your milk supply and establishing breastfeeding: Your body will begin to react to your little one by releasing the hormone prolactin, and will start the process of producing breastmilk. A 2012 study showed 95% of mothers who did skin-to-skin were breastfeeding exclusively 48 hours after delivery and 90 percent continued 6 weeks later.
- Helping you learn baby’s feeding cues: With baby snuggled up so close to you, it’s easy to see when your baby is hungry and looking for the breast. Baby might smack their lips, turn their head while opening their mouth, or even try to suck on your skin.
- Releasing oxytocin: Oxytocin, also known as the love hormone, does a lot of fascinating jobs in a new mom's body. It helps your uterus continue to contract and reduce bleeding, builds the bond between you and baby, and can even reduce the risk of postpartum depression and alleviate stress and anxiety.
And the benefits don’t end after the golden hour, mama. Doing skin-to-skin time whenever possible with your little one keeps the benefits coming for both of you. And don’t forget to share these special moments with your partner. Studies show that babies benefit from kangaroo care from both parents. It can be a wonderful way for the non-birthing parent and baby to bond, too.
Skin-to-Skin in the NICU
Kangaroo care is also an extremely important part of your little one’s care if they spend time in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) after delivery. For all of the reasons listed above, its benefits are numerous for baby and their parents. Doing kangaroo care for at least one hour is best, but as long as you and baby are comfortable in many instances you’ll be able to spend time skin-to-skin for as long as possible.
If your baby isn’t strong enough to do kangaroo care yet, your care team can show you the best way to be close to your little one in other ways. One common way for baby to feel your touch is through what’s known as a "hand hug." To do this, put one hand on baby’s head and another on their tummy or feet. Gently keep your hands on baby without stroking them, as this can be overwhelming to your little one. Baby will get the wonderful benefit of being calmed by your touch, and you will feel close to your newborn as you notice them relax and respond to you when you’re near them.
These special moments spent skin-to-skin with your baby will be some of the fondest memories you’ll have of your son or daughter’s first days in the world. Enjoy every moment, mama!