Skin to Skin

Welcome back!

Today we are going to talk about ✨skin-to-skin✨.

What is it?

Initial skin-to-skin contact is when the baby is put on the birthing parent’s uncovered chest immediately after birth. Initial steps after birth can be done on the chest while drying and stimulating the baby, if necessary. Bonus is that you can continue delayed cord clamping* (*see previous blog post!) while the birthing parent can start bonding. Many refer to this first time as the “golden hour”!

Why is it good?

Skin-to-skin aids in adapting to the outside world, reduces crying & stress and supports breathing and heart rate. It also regulates baby’s temperature (on birthing person) and optimizes sugar levels. It also gives a boost of natural oxytocin to both parties! A Cochrane review showed that infants with uninterrupted skin-to-skin within the first hour of life were more likely to exclusively breastfeed within the first six months. At one month of life, 75% of these babies were breastfeeding exclusively vs. 55% of babies that did not receive initial skin-to-skin contact.

How can I make sure I receive my golden hour?

When discussing birth preferences with your provider, mention how you would like at least one full golden hour after birth, pending any serious issues. Also discuss with your nurses upon admission and again prior to delivery (if it happens to be a different nurse). If there is any need for interventions for yourself or baby, this may not be possible. It is difficult to predict what can happen after delivery, so think about alternative plans. If the baby needs any extra help after delivery, can they be worked on while on your chest? If not, most interventions can be done in the room. If the baby must be transferred to a higher level of care, decide if you’d like your support person to go with the baby or stay with you.

Want to view the Cochrane study yourself? Click below and happy reading!

https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub5/full