After the long wait for the pregnancy, fraught with discomfort and uncertainty, as well as the subsequent moment of delivery, it is time to face life with a newborn. This can be overwhelming, especially for new parents. Will I know how to take good care of the baby? Will I understand the reasons for her crying? Will we have a good relationship?
The best starting point to start maternity or paternity with this newborn is to practice skin-to-skin contact. This method has proven to be very beneficial, both for the child and for his parents. Although it is especially positive in the case of premature babies, it also brings advantages in those who are born at term. Therefore, do not forget to include this request in your birth plan and express it to the medical personnel who attend you, so that they do everything possible to promote this first contact.
The skin-to-skin technique, also known as the kangaroo method, involves placing the naked baby directly on the skin of the mother’s or father’s chest. You can place a robe or a blanket so that you do not catch cold.
It is especially beneficial immediately after birth. However, in some circumstances it is not possible to perform it so soon – for example, in caesarean sections or when the baby is premature. But its advantages extend during the first year of the baby’s life. So, it is a moment of pampering to include in the little one’s daily routine, both during the hospital stay and when you get home.
According to the scientific article “Skin-to-skin contact of the mother with the newborn during childbirth”, this method is a potent releaser of maternal oxytocin. With this, there is an increase in the temperature of the mother’s skin, providing warmth to the newborn, which contributes to the regulation of her body temperature. In addition, this hormone reduces anxiety in the mother and the baby, lowering their cortisol levels.
Within two hours after birth, the newborn is in the sensitive period, a quiet alert phase produced by the release of norepinephrine during labor. This facilitates the recognition of maternal and paternal odor and significantly influences the bond and adaptation to the postnatal environment.
Another benefit of the kangaroo method is that it favors breastfeeding, favoring the placement of the baby on the chest and the natural grip and suction. In turn, it encourages milk production and prolongs the duration of breastfeeding.
It also improves the cardiorespiratory stability of the newborn, by matching both their heartbeat and their breathing to those of the person holding them skin to skin. This practice significantly strengthens the affective bond between the baby and her parents. Last but not least, it decreases the time and intensity of the little one’s crying.