Skin-to-skin is holding your naked or diapered baby against your bare skin. Right from birth, holding your baby skin-to-skin:
- helps baby adjust after birth
- calms baby and reduces stress
- supports bonding
- keeps baby warm
- supports healthy brain, heart and lung function
- calms baby during stressful or painful procedures
Anyone in the family can enjoy skin-to-skin with the new baby. Feeding time is the perfect time for skin-to-skin as you are already holding baby.
To safely do skin-to-skin, baby’s:
- face can be seen
- head is in a “sniffing” position
- nose and mouth are not covered
- head is turned to one side
- back is covered with a blanket
When you want to sleep, place your baby in a bassinet or with another support person who is awake and alert.
Right After Birth
You can lay your baby on your bare abdomen or chest. Your health care provider will help you place baby on your body and give you warm blankets so you can snuggle with your newborn. This uninterrupted time allows you to breastfeed/chestfeed and bond with your baby. Placing your baby skin-to-skin as soon as possible helps:
- keep your baby warm
- your baby breathe normally
- steady your baby’s heartbeat
- your baby feel safe and secure
- you and your baby bond and get to know each other
- calm your baby (the sound of your heartbeat is familiar and soothing)
- reduce crying
- encourage early breastfeeding/chestfeeding
- reduce baby’s pain during routine blood work
If you are feeling tired, put your baby in the bassinet or with another support person who is awake and alert.
Did you know?
You can’t spoil a baby! Hug and snuggle your baby every day and often! Skin-to-skin contact causes a release of your hormone oxytocin also known as the “love hormone.”
A support person can do skin-to-skin, if the birth parent is unable to.
Once You are Home
You can continue skin-to-skin contact with your baby every day to help:
- bond with your baby
- increase and maintain your breastmilk/chestmilk supply
- learn your baby’s feeding cues
- calm your baby and reduce crying
- lower stress in you and your baby
- your baby grow and develop well
Safety Tip
Anyone holding baby skin-to-skin should be alert and awake.
