Congratulations! Your baby has been born. Skin to skin contact with your baby immediately after birth and in the first few weeks with your newborn is very important. It can help mother and baby both with a great start into the breastfeeding adventure and create a deep bond between the two. 

If you think about it in very simple, biological terms it might look a little bit like this: Your baby has spent the past 40 weeks inside your uterus, swimming in warm water, getting everyone of his needs met, by you eating a healthy diet and him getting all the nutrients he needs. His world was cast into a dark red color. 

His world was small, but he knew in his deepest insides, that he is kept safe and warm inside of you. He was given the perfect surroundings to flourish and grow into this perfect new human being. 

Then the time of birth has come and he has been squeezed out of you in the violent, dramatic procedure of birth. All of a sudden it is cold, bright and loud around him. There is so much space!! The only thing he can recognize is his mother’s and father’s voices and mom’s smell, he already knows from his life in the womb. 

Your baby is longing for the only thing he has ever known – his mother. His mother’s heartbeat, his mother’s warmth. As close as possible to his mother’s skin is baby’s natural habitat. That is where he belongs. He can smell you, lick your skin, getting ready for the first attempt to breastfeeding. 

If there is no immediate health concern for your newborn child, you should always ask your care provider to keep your baby close to you, best skin to skin. 

Babies have shown, especially after non-medicated births, that they will even find their own way to mother’s breast with the breast crawl right after birth.

During pregnancy, your nipples will change to a dark brown-ish color. Your montgomery glands (the little bumps around your nipple) will start to secrete a substance that smells exactly like your amniotic fluid right after birth. Your newborn can’t create a clear picture with his eyes yet, and the dark brown nipples create a target for him. The secret emitted by your montgomery glands will show baby the way through smell and the reflex points on baby’s front side will make them crawl towards their first goal. A baby placed on mother’s stomach immediately after birth will start crawling towards mother’s breast soon after birth if given the chance. 

Skin to skin is not only important for new moms but can also have the best effects for partners. After that first breastfeeding when mom takes her first shower and dad gets to hold the baby, take off your shirt and get comfortable. Hold that new human close to you with only his diapers on and cover both of you with a cozy blanket. Your newborn hasn’t had a chance to really meet you yet. He’s heard your voice, but now that he has finally arrived earthside, he wants to smell, hear and taste you too! Enjoy this special time with your offspring! It is proved that by holding your baby close to your skin as well as breathing in the wonderful newborn smell, your oxytocin levels will rise and you will become relaxed and happy. 

Keep in mind, especially for the time when you get to leave the hospital and go home to your trusted environment… your body (very very close to your body) is your baby’s natural habitat. That is where you want to hold him as often as you can. Baby wrapping is a great way to keep your baby close. Share the blessing – take turns with your partner if you want to.

Please keep in mind that you can’t “spoil” your newborn by carrying him/her around, so feel free to do it whenever you can.

As you can see, skin to skin contact with your baby will not only benefit you and your partner, but also your baby and your breastfeeding outcome. Have fun and enjoy this special time in your life, unfortunately it’ll go by way to quickly.

Thank you for reading!

Love, Sabine