skin-to-skin contact
Flesh meets flesh
Skin-to-skin contact is the practice of placing a newborn baby directly against a parent's bare chest, typically immediately after birth.
The contact regulates the infant's temperature, heart rate, and breathing while promoting bonding and breastfeeding.
The practice extends to premature infants in neonatal care, sometimes called kangaroo care: The nurse encouraged skin-to-skin contact in the first hour.
- breastfeedingLactation-based infant nourishment
- kangaroo careSkin-to-skin infant bonding technique
- bondingForming close connections
- nurturingSupportive care-giving
- stress reductionLessening mental tension
handshakes · attachment · trust-building · thermoregulation · human touch · endorphin release · maternal bonding · greeting rituals · oxytocin · hugs · postpartum recovery · intimacy · safe haven · golden hour · newborn · nonverbal communication · emotional regulation · cradling
- infant developmentbabbling, developmental milestones, crawling, first steps, developmental delay
- Baby Massageback massage, foot massage, leg massage, back rub, foot rub
skin-to-skin contactno contact
Absence of communication
untouched · contactless · isolation · social distancing · hands-off
skin-to-skin contactdigital communication
Information exchange via technology