Skin-to-skin contact between an infant and parent (where the baby is usually held naked on the mother’s bare chest in an upright position) is something that may seem very natural and ‘low tech’, but it has very strong scientific evidence to back it up!!
One of the best ways to support successful breastfeeding is to hold your baby SKIN-TO-SKIN immediately after birth (also known as Kangaroo Care), and as often as possible in the hours and days following birth.
Talk to your doctor, midwife, nurses (everyone!) about their opinion of skin-to-skin holding, and their knowledge of the benefits. Know their practices ahead of time and ask for their help during in labour to establish and maintain skin-to-skin after the birth of your baby.
The research shows that simply holding your baby Skin-to-skin (dried and covered with a warm, dry blanket and hat) can ….
· Regulate baby’s body temperature
· Increase their time in deep sleep
· Increase success with breastfeeding
· Decrease baby’s pain from injections (like vitamin K)
· Increase baby’s blood sugar levels
· Enhance maternal-infant attachment
Research shows that Skin-to-skin should continue un-interupted for at least an hour or until after the first breastfeeding (AAP, 2009), and should be re-established as soon as possible if baby is separated from mom for any reason. (Birth partner can ask for baby to brought back to mom for skin-to-skin as soon as baby is stable).
· Babies held skin-to-skin have more stable body temperature & blood sugar levels (mother can maintain baby’s body temperature as effectively as a hospital ‘warmer’)
· Skin-to-skin helps babies adapt to life outside the uterus, improves their breathing, heart rate, oxygen levels, and reduces crying (which also reduces their chance of needing oxygen or other support).
· Skin-to-skin holding can reduce a mother’s feeling of pain (especially during repair of perineum after tearing or episiotomy) AND baby’s pain from vitamin K injection.
· Baby’s hand & mouth contact with the nipple during skin-to-skin stimulates mom’s oxytocin hormone to be released, which can enhance uterine contractions (which can decrease mom’s bleeding & blood pressure).
· Routine procedures (like giving baby’s Vitamin K, Erythromicin, and taking baby’s birth weight) should be delayed for up to an hour (in the healthy newborn) to allow for skin-to-skin and initial breastfeeding attempts.
There is research to support the safety of Skin-to-skin even if mom has a C-section…. if your health care providers are not used to doing it, you may ask for them to try it out! Also, Dad, (or support person) can provide skin-to-skin care if the mother is unable – the baby still benefits!
· A priority of care for mothers having a c-section, is to start skin-to-skin as soon as possible (in recovery) and to try breastfeeding as soon as possible (also, continue skin-to-skin as much as possible after delivery, in postpartum unit etc…).
Skin-to-skin helps with Breastfeeding ....
· Baby is usually in an alert, wide awake phase for the first 2 hours after birth. This offers a wonderful opportunity for parents to get to know their new baby by holding skin-to-skin. Initially baby may suckle minimally, often only nuzzling or licking.
· The suckling reflex is most intense 45 minutes through the 2nd hour after birth.
· Babies have an innate ability to begin nursing immediately after they are born.
· During the 2nd phase (2-4 hours after birth) baby enters a period of sleep.
· During the 3rd phase (6-8 hours after birth) the infant becomes alert, active, and interested in breastfeeding again.
· Holding baby skin-to-skin as often as possible during these important early stages allows more opportunity for breastfeeding.
· Early skin-to-skin leads to more exclusive breastfeeding (100% breastmilk feeding) and prolonged duration of breastfeeding .
Baby should be held Skin-to-skin as much as possible, especially if baby is having trouble breastfeeding....
· Hold baby at the breast or on chest, between breastfeeding attempts.
· Hand express colostrum so baby can lick drops at the breast when trying to feed.
· Hand express after each breastfeeding attempt to ensure stimulation and supply!
Angela Grant Buechner, BA, BScN, RN, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant – www.nutmegconsulting.ca
Related Articles:Recent Articles:
