{"id":28465,"date":"2025-01-27T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/?p=28465"},"modified":"2025-12-01T13:05:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T13:05:31","slug":"skin-to-skin-contact-with-your-baby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.may.app\/en\/blog\/newborn\/skin-to-skin-contact-with-your-baby\/","title":{"rendered":"Skin-to-skin contact with your baby : a practice with numerous benefits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Practicing skin-to-skin contact with your baby turns out to be an activity with many benefits. It is increasingly recommended and commonly done right after your baby is born in the maternity ward and during the months that follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Skin-to-skin contact with your baby: here\u2019s everything you need to know.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is skin-to-skin?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Skin-to-skin means placing your baby naked against someone else\u2019s bare chest. Generally, it\u2019s against your own chest, whether you are the mother, father, or co-parent. It can even be practiced with the baby\u2019s siblings.<\/span><\/p>\n

This practice dates back to the 20th century, in 1978, in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia. At that time, a maternity ward did not have enough incubators for every premature baby. The idea was born: keep babies warm against the bodies of their parents and family members 24\/7 by taking turns<\/strong>. Improvements in the health and development of newborns were observed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since then, there has been the Kangaroo Mother Care<\/strong> (KMC) program for premature newborns, which recommends skin-to-skin contact 24\/7, breastfeeding every 1.5 hours, parental support workshops, and the possibility of an earlier discharge.<\/span><\/p>\n

This practice has become widespread around the world. In France, most maternity wards encourage skin-to-skin contact. From this program came the term Kangaroo Units<\/strong> in French maternity wards: mothers are hospitalized there with their newborn who breathes on their own but has feeding difficulties or needs care.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The benefits of skin-to-skin<\/span><\/h2>\n

For all babies<\/span><\/h3>\n

Skin-to-skin contact has numerous benefits. This is why many pediatricians recommend it (and would even be willing to prescribe it!). At birth, skin-to-skin contact allows for:<\/span><\/p>\n