Skin-to-Skin Contact

• Skin-to-skin contact, also called Kangaroo Care, has been shown to help newborns and premature babies regulate their body temperature and normalize heart and breathing rate more quickly.  They grow and transition faster, and sleep more peacefully.
• During the close contact the baby is exposed to the same bacteria as the mother, which can protect it against future allergies and infection. 
• It has also been shown to increase milk production in nursing mothers, and infants breast feed more easily.

We schedule kangaroo care visits around feeding times. Parents may sit in a recliner next to the baby’s bed and hold the baby against their skin while baby feeds and rests afterward. Both father and mother can provide this care. Parents are advised to wear a loose fitting top while baby wears a hat and a diaper. A screen can be provided if needed, for privacy.