We encourage all mothers to cuddle their baby immediately after delivery (or as soon as possible thereafter).
Skin to skin contact helps both mother and baby recover from delivery.
Benefits to mum include
- Increase in the hormone oxytocin which helps calm and relax you
- Enhances your mothering instinctive behaviours and reduces the stress hormone cortisol
- Can help with the establishment of your milk supply
Benefits to baby include
- Helps regulate heart rate, breathing and temperature
- Helps stabilise baby’s blood sugar
- Helps develop baby’s immune system
- Increases oxytocin levels and reduces cortisol levels. This helps with bonding, enhances baby’s instinctive feeding behaviours and can help with brain development
Carrying out skin to skin cuddling after delivery and throughout the postnatal period can help relax you, keep baby calm and help establish feeding.
Baby being cuddled skin to skin with both parents and even siblings (supervised) can have health benefits for all.
Babies need to feel loved. They cannot be spoilt by over cuddling. Take time out and enjoy this one to one time together.
