Kangaroo Care: Skin-to-Skin Benefits
After hours of labor, that first moment you hold your baby is unforgettable. The baby’s first experiences outside the womb are incredibly impactful for their health, and skin-to-skin contact plays a crucial role in supporting your baby’s well-being.
The period right after birth—referred to as “the golden hour”—is a special and vital time for strengthening the bond between mother and child. If possible, inform your birthing team in advance that you would like your baby to be placed on your chest as soon as they’re born. The bond between mother and baby begins in utero, and being as close as possible to their mother during the first moments outside the womb is deeply soothing. This first contact plays a vital role in producing more oxytocin in the mother, kickstarting lactation, and aiding uterine contractions to release the placenta. Touch is truly magical!
The Power of Oxytocin
Oxytocin levels begin to rise during labor and birth. This hormone, often called the “love hormone,” plays a crucial role in creating a strong bond between mother and child. Skin-to-skin contact during the golden hour supports optimal oxytocin production and leaves a lasting effect on both mother and baby.
The Importance of Touch for Newborns
Touch is the first sense a baby develops, emerging as early as 7.5 weeks in utero. By the time they are born, babies have a well-developed sense of touch, which is essential for their survival. It helps them feed, communicate, and learn about their environment. This sense of touch also plays a major role in the bond between mother and child. A mother's touch is the most comforting sensation for a newborn, offering not only physical warmth but also emotional reassurance.
Skin-to-Skin Contact Guidelines
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends placing healthy newborns in skin-to-skin contact with their mother immediately after birth. During this time, the first breastfeeding session can occur, and medical staff can perform initial assessments while the baby remains on the mother’s chest. Procedures like weighing, measuring, and bathing should wait until after the first feeding to prioritize the mother-baby connection.
Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact
Reduced Crying
Babies who receive skin-to-skin contact tend to cry less. The soothing effect of a mother’s touch helps babies feel safe and secure. Carrying your newborn in a kangaroo-style hold, where they are pressed against your chest, recalls the comforting conditions they experienced in the womb, calming their nerves and making them feel at ease.Promotes Breastfeeding
Physical closeness stimulates the release of oxytocin, which aids in breastfeeding. A 2016 study showed that mothers who practiced skin-to-skin contact were more likely to breastfeed their babies for longer periods.Thermoregulation
One of the most remarkable aspects of skin-to-skin contact is how a mother’s body helps regulate her baby’s temperature. Newborns struggle to maintain warmth after birth, but the temperature of a mother’s chest adjusts to keep the baby comfortable. If the baby is too cold, the mother’s chest heats up to warm them. If the baby is too warm, her chest cools down. This unique ability helps babies maintain a stable body temperature, which is crucial for their well-being.Gut Health
Kangaroo care stimulates the vagal nerve, promoting healthier digestion and improving the growth of the baby’s gut. This process helps regulate blood sugar levels, providing the baby with better nourishment from the start.Physiological Stability
Skin-to-skin contact has been shown to stabilize vital signs in newborns, such as heart rate, breathing patterns, and oxygen levels. It’s a powerful tool for ensuring that the baby’s body is adjusting well to life outside the womb.
Kangaroo Care: A Life-Saving Touch
Kangaroo Care—the practice of holding premature infants in a skin-to-skin position—originated in Colombia and has since proven to be a vital method for caring for premature babies. This form of contact has even been shown to save lives. One extraordinary case in Australia involved a mother who revived her premature baby—whom doctors had declared dead—simply by holding him for two hours. This miraculous story highlights the incredible healing power of a mother’s touch.
The Benefits of Skin-to-Skin for Preterm Babies
Premature infants, who often experience sensory deficits and distress, can greatly benefit from the soothing power of a mother’s touch. Studies have shown that gentle touch can reduce stress and improve neurodevelopment in low-birth-weight babies. Skin-to-skin contact, especially in the form of massage, can help reduce their time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), promote weight gain, and improve brain development.
Baby Massage: A Cultural Practice with Benefits
Across cultures, infant massage is a common practice that provides numerous benefits. In India, for example, it’s common to massage your baby daily until they turn one. The practice is believed to improve blood circulation and strengthen bones. In Russia, massage is said to help develop the central nervous system, while in Bali, it is mainly done to relieve colic. New Zealand Maori mothers focus their massage on the baby’s knees and ankles, believing it will make joints supple and their children graceful. Research supports that regular massage promotes better sleep, weight gain, and bonding between parents and their infants. No matter where you are, massaging your baby supports their development and promotes a calm, content state. Dads can use massage for bonding with their newborn, too—oil massage after bathing and/or before bedtime can become a beautiful ritual to cultivate as part of your daily routine.
The Long-Term Impact of Touch
Hugging, cuddling, massaging, and touching your baby have lasting effects. It is known to support brain development and secure attachment, which leads to better emotional regulation, increased confidence, and the ability to take risks later in life. A baby who feels safe and loved is more likely to explore their environment and develop into a confident, independent person.
A mother’s touch is undeniably powerful. From stabilizing a newborn’s vital signs to fostering a strong emotional bond, skin-to-skin contact provides essential benefits for both mother and child. It’s an intimate, life-affirming practice that lays the foundation for a lifetime of health, security, and love.
So, whether it’s during the golden hour after birth or in the days that follow, never underestimate the power of skin-to-skin contact. It’s a small gesture with profound, life-changing effects.
The first touch can last a lifetime!
Resources for this blog include the book Infant Massage by Vimala McClure and CradleWise blog. 