🔸What is skin-to-skin?🔸
Skin to skin is when the baby is placed with their skin in direct contact with yours. If baby and mum are well, this can happen as soon as the baby is born, even if you had a caesarean section or instrumental delivery. It is also great for your partner if you have one, to help them bond with the baby.
You can have skin to skin with your baby for long as you would like following their birth, and is great to do this for your baby’s first feed. Don’t worry if you are unable to do this, you should be supported to when it is possible. Ongoing skin to skin is also great when you get home, it helps with bonding, feeding and calming your baby.
🔸What are the benefits of skin to skin?🔸
There are lots of benefits to having skin to skin contact with your baby, these include:
▫️Helping them regulate their breathing and heart rate.
▫️Keeping them warm
▫️ It is calming and relaxing for both the mum and baby
▫️ It helps with stimulating breastmilk supply
Skin to skin is important longer term also. Evidence shows that babies who have lots of skin to skin contact in the first year of life have improved physical growth and development particularly if they were born at a low birth weight.
🔸Tips to get started with skin to skin🔸
It is important that you feel comfortable and relaxed when you are having some skin to skin time with your baby, so here are some tips before you settle down:
▫️Empty your bladder
▫️ Have glass of water to hand (and snacks!)
▫️ A blanket or throw to make sure you are warm enough
▫️Make sure you are not in pain and have taken any pain relief that you need.
🔸Safety🔸
▫️Avoid skin to skin contact if you are very tired and feeling like you may fall asleep as there is a chance that the baby could fall.
▫️If you have taken any pain killers, medication that can make you sleepy or had any alcohol or substances, then avoid having skin to skin.
▫️Check that your baby’s head is well supported and there is no restriction to their airway.
▫️Follow safe sleeping guidance for babies, if you are unsure then do ask your midwife or health visitor.
Post by @tommys_pregnancyhub
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