Set aside time for skin-to-skin contact: Skin-to-skin contact, also known as “kangaroo care,” can help promote bonding and regulate your baby’s body temperature and heart rate.
Set aside time for skin-to-skin contact | Pexels
Skin-to-skin contact, also known as “kangaroo care,” is a practice where a newborn baby is placed directly onto their parent’s bare chest. This practice can have many benefits for both the parent and the baby.
One of the primary benefits of skin-to-skin contact is that it can help promote bonding between the parent and the baby. Close physical contact allows the baby to feel safe and secure, and can also help the parent feel more connected to their child.
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Another benefit of skin-to-skin contact is that it can help regulate the baby’s body temperature and heart rate. When a baby is born, they need to maintain their body temperature in order to stay healthy. Placing the baby skin-to-skin with the parent can help regulate the baby’s temperature and prevent hypothermia.
Skin-to-skin contact can also help with breastfeeding, as it can stimulate milk production and help the baby latch on more easily.
To practice skin-to-skin contact, parents should ideally set aside uninterrupted time to hold their baby against their bare chest. This can be done immediately after birth, as well as in the weeks and months following the birth. It is important to make sure that both the parent and the baby are comfortable and that the baby is placed in a safe position.
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In summary, skin-to-skin contact is a practice that involves placing a newborn baby directly onto their parent’s bare chest. This practice can help promote bonding between the parent and the baby, regulate the baby’s body temperature and heart rate, and aid in breastfeeding. It is important to set aside time for skin-to-skin contact and ensure that both the parent and the baby are comfortable and safe.
