Hey mom, if your initial instinct is to draw close to your baby and lay them on your warm bare chest, you’re on to something natural and beneficial when it comes to parenting a newborn.
Do you know that when baby’s bare skin lays on yours, their breathing slows and steadies, they relax and get better at holding a steady body temperature? Even if your baby is receiving care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), your nurses can help you hold baby safely against your warm skin.
You may have heard this kind of bonding called “kangaroo care,” as it mimics how a mother kangaroo holds her offspring nestled into her pouch. That skin-to-skin contact is comforting to your newborn and your warm skin against baby fosters a powerful sense of connection, security, and comfort. When you hold baby this way, it helps their brain develop, stabilizes their breathing, blood sugar, and heart rate, and encourages restful sleep between nursing sessions.
Skin-to-Skin (SSC) Care in the NICU
Skin-to-skin (kangaroo) care is great for all babies whether it’s with you, your partner, or an adult that has your permission. Place baby chest-to-chest on bare skin. Snuggled against your warm skin, baby feels safe, helping them relax and sleep, and even feels less pain during painful procedures. The nurses are available to guide and support you in practicing SSC safely.
Relaxing With Your Baby
The calming and bonding effects of skin-to-skin care lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and stress level, as well as increase your confidence and breastfeeding success. It also boosts the hormone, oxytocin, which is the hormone known as the “bonding” or “love” hormone.
Snuggled with baby, it’s no wonder you may begin to feel drowsy, so follow these expert tips to safely go skin-to-skin.
- Wear a special kangaroo care safety wrap so your baby stays securely in place on your chest. The hospital may provide it, or you may bring it with you.
- Keep your hands over baby to hold them snugly against you, especially if you’re not using a kangaroo care safety wrap.
- Make sure the top of baby’s head is always at the level of your collarbone, their legs and arms are bent and to the sides, like a little frog, and their head and upper body are vertically centered.
- Ask your nurse if the wrap you’re using supports breastfeeding and pumping during kangaroo care and if it ensures the baby’s safety if you fall asleep. If it doesn’t and you begin to feel drowsy, request assistance to stay awake or transfer the baby back to their bed to get the rest your body is seeking.
With these precautions, you can relax and enjoy this bonding time.
Focus on Your Sweet Newborn
The NICU can feel overwhelming with all the sounds, equipment, and information. Ask your nurse about how everything supports baby’s health. Therapists, including occupational, physical, speech, and respiratory specialists, work alongside nurses to support kangaroo care, feeding, movement, breathing, comfort, and proper growth. Don’t hesitate to ask for extra hands to manage the wrap, wires, and monitors—your care team is there to support you in holding baby safely for as long as possible.
Additional Safety Tips
- Ask the nurse to help you transfer your baby each time you’re in the NICU until you can do it alone.
- Watch baby’s position and condition closely, call a nurse close by if you need assistance.
- Check-in with your nurses for extra support when you’re unsure of something you want to do with your baby.
Your NICU Team’s Support
Nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit are devoted to you and your baby’s comfort and health. They will help you find ways to hold baby against your bare skin and help you sooth and reduce baby’s stress during necessary but perhaps painful procedures. Your nurses are your partners and guide in beginning parenting for your little one while in a NICU.
Keep Baby Safe While Against Your Bare Skin
Safety is a top priority during skin-to-skin care, especially in the NICU. Your baby’s care team will provide a comfortable space and products for you to hold baby and keep them safe while nursing them or simply bonding with them.
Skin-to-skin care in the NICU is proven to be calming and helps you bond with your baby, giving you a sense of confidence and connection while supporting their health, growth, development, and sleep. It’s recommended from birth until your baby weighs about 15 pounds. Kangaroo care is a gentle and powerful way to support your baby’s healing while fostering a deep connection.
Your touch provides comfort, reduces stress, and promotes development in meaningful ways. This experience can feel overwhelming but remember — you’re an essential part of your baby’s care, and your presence makes all the difference. If you have questions or need guidance, your NICU team is there to support you with compassion and understanding every step of the way.
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