Amid the excitement, exhaustion, and emotion of welcoming a new child, simple practices can make a meaningful difference. One of the most powerful and natural ways to support your newborn’s transition to the world is skin-to-skin contact.
Skin-to-skin contact has been a part of childbirth for thousands of years, but only recently has scientific evidence emerged to support the practice. Sometimes referred to as kangaroo care, skin-to-skin contact involves placing a newborn face down on a parent or caregiver’s bare chest, with the head turned.
Between an hour and 90 minutes of skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth, and throughout early childhood, helps give your child the best possible start and facilitates physical and emotional connection between parents and babies.
Why Skin-to-Skin Contact After Birth Matters
A growing body of research supports the importance of skin-to-skin contact for babies and parents. The practice is recommended by both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Skin-to-skin contact is recommended for the first hour of life, commonly known as the golden hour, or longer, and as much as possible during early life. There are advantages to short-term and long-term health and benefits not just for babies, but for parents too. It increases the production of oxytocin, commonly called the bonding hormone or the love hormone, which helps babies and parents connect.
Skin-to-skin contact strengthens the bond between parent and child, builds emotional connections, and supports immune development. It’s one of the most effective early practices to support bonding and physiologic stability. It also reduces levels of postpartum stress and anxiety, increases overall mental health, and facilitates breastfeeding. In some cases, such as when a baby requires immediate medical support, skin-to-skin contact may be delayed. Even if skin-to-skin does not happen right away, starting later still provides meaningful benefits.
Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact for Newborns
The World Health Organization has developed the Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC) guidelines, which encourage immediate and prolonged skin-to-skin contact. Birthing parents are encouraged to spend at least an hour, and longer, if possible, in skin-to-skin contact right after birth, during the “golden hour.”
Holding your baby directly against your chest in those early moments helps to stabilize a newborn’s heart rate, breathing, and body temperature. It helps improve your baby’s sleep and reduces crying,
suggesting lower stress levels. Evidence suggests that early skin-to-skin contact reduces the risk associated with low-birth weight, especially for preterm infants. Skin-to-skin contact may support uterine contraction and reduce postpartum bleeding.
Whether the birthing parent delivered vaginally or with a C-section, skin-to-skin contact is usually safe. But birthing parents don’t have to do it alone; the non-birthing parent, another family member, or support person can step in to help.
Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Contact with Dad
While the conversations around these early moments are often associated with mothers, new dads can experience many of the same bonding and calming benefits when holding their baby close. Skin-to-skin contact fosters bonding through physical touch and increases oxytocin production for the non-birthing partner.
Sharing skin-to-skin time helps both parents connect with their newborn, build confidence in caring for them, and create meaningful early moments together as a family. It reduces stress in newborns and in parents, lowering cortisol levels and blood pressure. It helps stabilize a newborn’s vital signs and leads to healthier parent-infant relationships. So much of a newborn’s early care depends on the birthing parent, and non-birthing parents can sometimes feel like bystanders. Skin-to-skin contact is a great way for both parents to participate in caring for their newborn during those precious first days.
Skin-to-Skin Contact Techniques: How to Do It Safely
For your first skin-to-skin session, shortly after your baby is born, your care team will usually dry your baby off, give them a hat and socks, lay them on your chest, and cover your baby’s back with a blanket to help keep them warm.
Your baby should be lying face down against your bare chest with their head turned so the nose and mouth aren’t covered. During the first day or two after your baby is born, you have a whole team of support around you to ensure your baby is safe. Later, it will be up to you to enjoy skin-to-skin contact safely at home.
- Dress for it: Wear clothing that can be easily opened at the front (think gown or shirt with buttons), and if you wear a bra, remove The idea is to get as much direct contact between your bodies as possible.
- Take it easy: Relax and breathe Avoid falling asleep during skin-to-skin. Skin-to-skin is safest when you are awake and alert with your baby’s airway clearly visible at all times.
- Healthy skin: Make sure your skin is clean and Clean off any perfumes or lotions. Skip skin-to-skin contact if you have a rash, open wound, or another skin condition that might threaten your baby’s health.
- Focus: Put away your phone and any other distractions to focus on bonding with your newborn. Take this time to just take in that newborn smell and adore those tiny fingers and toes.
- Healthy body: If you’re sick, wear a mask or let your partner take the lead on skin-to-skin contact until you are feeling Your baby’s immune system is brand new and undeveloped, leaving them susceptible to infections.
- Smoke-free: Don’t smoke before or during skin-to-skin Secondhand smoke is dangerous to your newborn’s health.
Skin-to-Skin Contact and Breastfeeding
Does skin-to-skin contact help with milk supply and breastfeeding? Evidence suggests that it does. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all breastfeeding babies have skin-to-skin time right after birth and throughout the first few weeks of life.
Skin-to-skin contact helps increase milk supply and triggers the birthing parent’s milk let-down, so babies can start breastfeeding sooner. In addition, skin-to-skin contact is linked to longer breastfeeding periods and an easier time latching.
Babies who get skin-to-skin contact during the golden hour are more likely to breastfeed successfully. The World Health Organization found that around 90 minutes of uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact maximizes the chances of a baby being ready to breastfeed. And better breastfeeding improves your baby’s nutrition and helps them to grow.
Skin-to-Skin Beyond the First Hour
While skin-to-skin contact during the golden hour has lots of benefits for parents and babies, the benefits of skin-to-skin contact extend well beyond that first hour. Experts recommend continuing skin-to-skin contact at home throughout infancy, or at least for the first few weeks.
Building in some skin-to-skin time every now and then encourages growth, supports healthy sleep, and helps babies and parents bond. It can even help transition your baby into tummy time, which is one of the first exercises your baby gets, helps them to develop and strengthen important muscle groups, and prepares them for the next stage of their lives.
