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Mothers have probably always held their babies skin-to-skin. It’s a wonderful way to be close. Studies have shown that skin-to-skin care also has important health benefits for babies, especially when it’s given right after birth. For example, skin-to-skin care:
• calms and soothes your baby
• helps your baby maintain a healthy body temperature (it’s better
than an incubator)
• helps regulate your baby’s heart rate, blood sugar, and breathing
• improves your baby’s sleep
• helps your baby breastfeed
Skin-to-skin care is good for you, too. It can lower stress and help you bond and connect with your newborn. It can also improve your ability to make breast milk and to know when your baby is ready to nurse.
• calms and soothes your baby
• helps your baby maintain a healthy body temperature (it’s better
than an incubator)
• helps regulate your baby’s heart rate, blood sugar, and breathing
• improves your baby’s sleep
• helps your baby breastfeed
Skin-to-skin care is good for you, too. It can lower stress and help you bond and connect with your newborn. It can also improve your ability to make breast milk and to know when your baby is ready to nurse.
Even as newborns, babies have an extraordinary ability to respond to you. A newly born baby placed skin-to-skin on your chest feels the familiar and comforting rhythm of your heartbeat. Your baby will also recognize and respond to the familiar and soothing sound of your voice.
Research tells us that putting a baby skin-to-skin provides the best possible temperature regulation for a newborn. Babies who get cold can have problems with breathing, feeding and maintaining proper blood sugar levels. Research also shows us that babies who spend the first 90 minutes with their mothers skin-to-skin cry less than those who are dried, wrapped and placed in a bassinet. This intimate contact also helps babies breastfeed.
The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Nor does the contents of this website constitute the establishment of a physician patient or therapeutic relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Research tells us that putting a baby skin-to-skin provides the best possible temperature regulation for a newborn. Babies who get cold can have problems with breathing, feeding and maintaining proper blood sugar levels. Research also shows us that babies who spend the first 90 minutes with their mothers skin-to-skin cry less than those who are dried, wrapped and placed in a bassinet. This intimate contact also helps babies breastfeed.
The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Nor does the contents of this website constitute the establishment of a physician patient or therapeutic relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Skin-to-skin contact is very important for mother and baby at the time of delivery, whether it was vaginal or by Cesarean section. Watch doctors from West Kendall Baptist Hospital explain the benefits of keeping parents close to the baby after birth.
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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.