Skin-To-Skin
Skin-to-skin is a way of holding your baby. During skin-to-skin, baby is placed just in their diaper on your bare chest. A blanket can be placed over both of you for added warmth. This is the most natural place for your baby to adjust to life outside of the womb. Your baby can hear your heartbeat, breathing, voice, and smell you.
At birth, if possible, it is recommended to hold your baby skin-to-skin for the first hour to help your baby adjust to the outside world. It can also help breastfeeding get off to a good start. If you are not able to hold you baby right after birth, your partner can also place the baby skin-to-skin.
Hold your baby skin-to-skin as often as you like especially in the first months of life.
It can help with:
- Breastmilk supply
- Calming your baby and reducing crying
- Lowering stress in mom and baby
- Bonding between family and baby
Holding you baby skin-to-skin during painful procedures such as immunizations can also help to reduce their discomfort.