Right after the birth of your baby, it is important for both of you to snuggle together in what is called skin-to-skin contact. Your full-term, healthy baby is placed belly-down, directly on your bare chest for at least one hour.
Your chest is the best place for your baby to adjust to life in the outside world. Compared with babies who are swaddled or kept in a crib, skin-to-skin babies stay warmer and calmer, cry less, and have healthier blood sugar levels. Skin-to-skin contact promotes bonding between you and your baby. It may also enhance your child’s brain development. Aside its health benefits, snuggling skin-to-skin let you and your baby get to know each other and to easily initiate breastfeeding.
According to many evidence-based studies, you and your baby need to stay together in this skin-to-skin contact for a minimum of one hour to ensure:
- Increased secretion of oxytocin hormone (the happiness hormone) making you feel the joy of motherhood.
- Oxytocin stimulates uterine contractions thus reduces postpartum hemorrhage and also makes expulsion of placenta quicker.
- Oxytocin also increases milk production and promote early breastfeeding.
