Welcome Baby In with Skin-to-Skin

1. Welcome Baby In with Skin-to-Skin an APPPAH sponsored Certification Course on newborn touch

2. A little background on current birth practices

3. Why touch is important RIGHT after birth Support, studies and references

4. Skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby at birth reduces crying improves mother-baby interaction keeps the baby warmer and helps women breastfeed successfully.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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) 

8. reduction of mood/anxiety issues Discussion regarding the physical closeness with mother and baby (eye contact, early nursing, late cord clamping, etc).

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

10. Organizations that support skin-to-skin

11. 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 … *** *** ***

12. 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 Kshot -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

13. References:

14. For further information Contact:

15. Welcome Baby in With Skin to Skin… We all win!!