Skin to Skin
The origins of skin to skin, or ‘kangaroo care’ began in low resource settings, to care for premature babies where there were insufficient incubators available. It was soon observed that babies being cared for skin to skin were able to regulate their temperature, respiratory rate and heart rate, and experienced a decrease in infection rates. Sufficient evidence now exists, that many hospitals worldwide, including in Australia, advocate for early skin to skin between parents and babies.
So, what are the benefits for baby?
Temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate regulation while transitioning to extrauterine life
Decreased stress and reduced crying, which in turn aids in maintaining optimal blood sugar levels
Initiation of the first breast feed and ‘the breast crawl’
Promotes bonding between baby and parent
Laying the foundation of baby’s microbiome through exposure to parent’s friendly skin bacteria
Benefits for parents?
Decreased stress levels and increased analgesic effect
Increased levels of oxytocin hormone, assisting with the birth of the placenta and decrease in postpartum bleeding
Promotion of breastfeeding hormone ‘prolactin’ with potential long-term benefits for breastfeeding
Promotes attachment and bonding with both parents
How do I do it?
With baby completely bare or wearing just a nappy, place them upright, directly onto your bare chest. In a cold setting, such as operating theatre, you can place a light blanket around the back of baby, while they remain chest to chest with you.
When should I do it?
In the first hour or two after birth, undisturbed skin to skin contact with the birth mother promotes the initiation of breastfeeding and aids in the birth of the placenta and decreased postpartum bleeding. After this time, baby can have skin to skin with both parents, with great benefits! Skin to skin can occur after all births. At a vaginal birth, baby is usually passed directly to mum as they birth, or mum may lift baby up to her own chest (eg in a water birth) and they remain skin to skin. It can occur in the operating theatre right after caesarean birth, in recovery, and in special care nursery. Speak to your care provider to ensure they know that skin to skin is a priority for you.
How long should I do it for?
Continuing skin to skin throughout the first 12 weeks after birth (also known as the fourth trimester) can assist both parents and baby through a time of great physical and emotional change. During this time, skin to skin can help seed and feed the healthy microbiota in baby’s microbiome. This may even lead to better health outcomes in infancy and later in life and affect future generations through epigenetics.
Other tips?
Avoid strong perfumes and deodorants when doing skin to skin
If baby is in special care nursery and not quite up to skin to skin yet, you can still hold their hand, talk to them, sing to them, or talk to the nurse about placing a piece of fabric that has been against your skin into the isolette.
Bibliography
Conde‐Agudelo A, Díaz‐Rossello JL. Kangaroo mother care to reduce morbidity and mortality in low birthweight infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD002771. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002771.pub4
Dekker, R. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/the-evidence-for-skin-to-skin-care-after-a-cesarean/. updated on October 27, 2017.
https://www.miraclebabies.org.au/content/kangaroo-care/gjr6rk. Accessed April 2022.
Marine, M. https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-skin-to-skin-helps-baby-build-a-healthy-immune-system/. updated April 2021.
Moore ER, Bergman N, Anderson GC, Medley N. Early skin‐to‐skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD003519. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub4. Accessed 08 April 2022.
