During pregnancy, babies stay with mums as close as they can be – get everything they need from their mother’s body. So you can imagine how insecure they feel when the labour occurs.
That’s why doctors and nurses always place your baby on your chest to create a skin-to-skin contact during that first hour (so-called “golden hour”) after delivery. By being held naked against their mother’s skin, it is the closest they can get to being back in the warmth and security of the womb.
What is Skin-to-Skin Contact/ Kangaroo Care?
Skin-to-skin contact happens when the baby is positioned on the mum’s chest skin-to-skin without clothes in between. UNICEF recommends mothers to have this special skin-to-skin moment for the first hour whenever the mother is ready after delivery. Short-term and long-term benefits are associated with kangaroo care.
What should I expect?
After you deliver the baby, your baby will be dried and put on your bare chest when you and baby are both ready. At this time, the newborn is adapting to the new world, just by staying on your chest could really help the baby’s regulation and get relaxed. For your part, your body will instinctively release hormones when you feel the baby. You just need to follow your instincts to engage and interact with your newborn.
The baby will probably start to seek for your breasts, nipples after a while. She might not find your nipple directly, licking here and there, give her some time eventually she will find the right spot and start to latch on. By this time, you can seek help from a lactation professional if you need help with breastfeeding positioning. Baby’s suction gives signals to your body to release colostrum (colostrum is already in your milk ducts but yet to be released!). If you’re a first-time mum, your colostrum might come in a bit later, on average colostrum will get in within 72 hours.
*Colostrum usually comes in thick, the colour of it varies from mum to mum but it’s usually between white and yellow.
Benefits of Skin-to-Skin to Baby
- Stabilises Baby’s Temperature.
- Your or the Dad’s body heat helps to warm up the baby after they are pulled out of the womb.
- Regulates the baby’s breathing and heartbeat.
- You have the ability to calm down the baby and enhance their physical performance.
- Better adapt to life outside the mother’s womb.
- Practice latching on: This will make your breastfeeding journey a lot easier when the baby knows how to perform a good latch on.
- Build up protection from the mother’s good bacteria: Not only passing through the vagina exposes the baby to good bacteria, having that skin-to-skin also does the same. A better immune system could really prevent babies from getting infections.
- Feeling Calm and Safe
- Lower Mortality Rate & Shorter Hospital Stay: A healthy baby is all we want!
Benefits of Skin-to-Skin to Mum
- Easier Lactation: More milk will come out when the baby stimulates your body by sucking your nipple. If you plan to breastfeed, this is definitely a good way to start.
- Bond with the Baby: Skin-to-skin can enhance your maternal behaviors and naturally attach to the baby.
- Less Postpartum Depression Symptoms: Moms will experience fewer baby blues. Both you and the baby will feel more relaxed and attached after that magical bonding experience.
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