Welcome Baby In with Skin-to-Skin

an APPPAH sponsoredCertification Courseon newborn touch

A little background on current birth practices

Why touch is important RIGHT after birth

Support, studies and references

Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby at birth

reduces cryingimproves mother-baby interaction

keeps the baby warmerand helps women breastfeed successfully.

In many cultures, babies are generally cradled naked on their mother's bare chest at birth. Historically, this was necessary for the baby's survival. In recent times, in some societies as more babies are born in hospital, babies are separated or dressed before being given to their mothers.

It has been suggested that in industrialized societies, hospital routines may significantly disrupt early mother-infant interactions and have harmful effects.

The review was done to see if there was any impact of early skin-to-skin contact between the mother and her newborn baby on infant health, behavior and breastfeeding. The review included 30 studies involving 1925 mothers and their babies. It showed that babies interacted more with their mothers, stayed warmer, and cried less. Babies were more likely to be breastfed, and to breastfeed for longer, if they had early skin-to-skin contact. Babies were also, possibly, more likely to have a good early relationship with their mothers, but this was difficult to measure.

Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N. Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD003519. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub2

Neonates experience pain.

Interventions may be pharmacologic or non - pharmacologic. Three investigators in Brazil report in the journal Pain in 2008[1] on a

randomized, controlled, single-blind trial of 95 preterm neonates of postmenstrual age of 28 to 36 weeks. The painful event was lancing of

the heel. Pain measurement was by heart rate change, oxygen saturation, and observed facial activity. Group 1 received no

anesthesia; group 2 was held skin-to-skin for 10 minutes before and during the lancing; group 3 was given oral glucose 2 minutes prior to

lancing. Group 2, the skin-to-skin group, demonstrated significantly less objective evidence of pain than either group 1 or 3.

Conclusion: skin-to-skin contact

exerts an analgesic effect in neonates.

George D. Lundberg, MD

prebirth bonding discussion regarding how the mother-baby connection has

begun in the womb and continuing that touch/closeness allows the "invisible umbilical cord" connection after birth to

increase the strength of their relationship) 

reduction of mood/anxiety issues Discussion regarding the physical closeness with

mother and baby (eye contact, early nursing,

late cord clamping, etc).

What can be done as a healthcare practitioner to initiate/ support/ encourage skin-to-skin after birth

Organizations that support skin-to-skin

Immediately to mother’s chest‘Heart to heart’

When baby leaves the womb- the journey is rough, frightening and stressful… but a welcoming warm breast and familiar

heartbeat can help to reduce that stress and confusion. As the baby leaves the birth canal, he or she shuld be placed

immediately on the mother’s chest …

*** *** ***

Medical procedures to dance around

APGAR testing – This can be done while baby is on mother’s chest, so it should not interfere with skin to skin

Vitamin K shot -This can be done while baby is on mother’s chest, so it should not interfere with skin to skin

Erythromycin- This can be done while baby is on mother’s chest, so it should not interfere with skin to skin

PKU testing - this does not need to be done in the first several hours postpartum, so it should not interfere with skin to skin

References:

For further informationContact:

Welcome Baby in With Skin to Skin…

We all win!!