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As a private midwife, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing countless beautiful first moments between mothers and their newborns. One of the most powerful—and often underestimated—moments is that very first cuddle: immediate skin-to-skin contact.
Whether you’re planning a home birth, a hospital delivery, or something in between, you’ve probably heard the term skin-to-skin. But what does it really mean? Why is it so widely encouraged? And most importantly, how can you make sure it’s part of your birth plan?
In this blog, I’ll share with you the incredible benefits of immediate skin-to-skin after birth—from regulating your baby’s temperature and breathing, to promoting bonding and breastfeeding success. More than just a trend, skin-to-skin is a natural, instinctive practice that has been shown to support both mum and baby in those precious early minutes—and it’s something I advocate for in every birth I attend.
Let’s explore what immediate skin-to-skin looks like, why it matters, and how you can make sure it happens for you and your baby.
Skin-to-Skin for Baby: Nature’s First Regulator
Your baby’s transition from womb to world is one of the biggest physiological shifts they’ll ever experience. One moment they’re surrounded by warmth, rhythm, and constant nourishment—and the next, they’re out in a world full of bright lights, new sounds, and fluctuating temperatures. That’s where immediate skin-to-skin contact becomes so important: it’s a natural, biological way to help your baby adjust safely and gently to life outside the womb.
Here’s how skin-to-skin directly supports your baby’s health in those crucial first minutes and hours:
🌡️ Temperature Regulation
Newborns can’t regulate their own temperature very well, especially in the first few days. But when they’re placed on your bare chest, your body acts like a natural incubator. Incredibly, your skin will adjust to warm or cool your baby by up to 2°C to keep them at the perfect temperature. This is more effective than incubators in many cases and far more comforting.
❤️ Heart Rate and Breathing Stability
Studies show that babies held skin-to-skin immediately after birth experience more stable heart rates and breathing patterns. Your calm heartbeat and steady breathing provide rhythmic reassurance, which helps regulate your baby’s nervous system and reduces stress responses.
🧠 Blood Sugar and Brain Development
Skin-to-skin also supports healthy blood sugar levels. Babies burn less energy keeping warm and staying calm, which helps maintain blood glucose—a crucial factor for brain development and overall stability in the early hours of life.
😌 Reduced Crying and Stress
Newborns held in skin-to-skin contact cry significantly less than those placed in cots or under warmers. One study published in Paediatrics found that babies who experienced skin-to-skin contact cried 82% less during the first 90 minutes of life. Less crying means lower stress hormones, a more relaxed baby, and a gentler entry into the world.
Skin-to-Skin and the Microbiome: Building Baby’s Immune Foundation
One of the most fascinating and lesser-known benefits of immediate skin-to-skin contact is the role it plays in seeding your baby’s microbiome—the community of beneficial bacteria that begin colonising their skin, gut, and immune system from the moment they’re born.
When your baby is born, their immune system is still immature. They rely heavily on external cues and exposure to build up their natural defences, and skin-to-skin contact with you is one of the most effective and natural ways to do this. Your skin carries your own unique microbiome, which your baby absorbs through touch, cuddling, and especially breastfeeding.
Here’s how skin-to-skin supports a healthy microbiome:
💪 It helps transfer your beneficial bacteria to your baby’s skin and mucous membranes, promoting immune system development.
🦠 It reduces exposure to hospital-based microbes by encouraging early colonisation with the friendly bacteria your baby needs.
🤱 It works hand-in-hand with breastfeeding, which continues to feed and support your baby’s gut microbiota through antibodies, prebiotics, and enzymes found in colostrum and breast milk.
Recent studies have found that babies who experience immediate and frequent skin-to-skin contact in the hours and days following birth are more likely to develop diverse and robust microbiomes—something that’s been linked to lower risks of allergies, eczema, asthma, and even obesity later in life.
For babies born via caesarean section — who may miss out on exposure to the birth canal microbiota—skin-to-skin becomes even more important as a way to help introduce maternal microbes and kick-start immune protection.
This is such a beautiful reminder that simple, loving contact between you and your baby isn’t just comforting—it’s biologically powerful. Through skin-to-skin, you’re helping build your baby’s health in ways that will benefit them for years to come.
Skin-to-Skin and Breastfeeding: A Natural Kickstart
One of the most incredible benefits of immediate skin-to-skin contact is how beautifully it supports breastfeeding. When your baby is placed directly on your chest after birth—unwrapped, warm, and close—they are in the perfect environment to begin their first feed, often within the first hour of life.
Newborns are born with a powerful instinct to find the breast. This is known as the “breast crawl”—a fascinating reflex where babies, when left undisturbed on their mother’s chest, will slowly nuzzle, lick, and eventually latch onto the breast themselves. Skin-to-skin helps activate this instinct and gives your baby the best chance of establishing a strong and effective latch from the very beginning.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Skin-to-skin also has a direct impact on your body’s ability to produce milk. The warmth, closeness, and stimulation of your baby’s touch encourages the release of oxytocin—the “love hormone”—which plays a crucial role in milk let-down. At the same time, prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production, begins to increase as your baby suckles at the breast.
What does this mean in practice? Mothers who enjoy uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth are more likely to:
⏰ Initiate breastfeeding sooner
🥛 Experience fewer challenges with latch and milk supply
👩👦 Breastfeed exclusively for longer periods
👥 Feel more confident and connected in their feeding journey
I’ve seen time and time again how just 60–90 minutes of skin-to-skin can lay the foundation for a positive breastfeeding experience. It’s a gentle, instinctive start that helps both you and your baby find your rhythm together—without pressure or expectation, just connection.
If breastfeeding is part of your plan, skin-to-skin is one of the simplest and most powerful tools to support your journey from the very first moment. If you need more guidance or help with breastfeeding then we are here to help.
What does the research say?
- A 2016 Cochrane Review found that babies who had skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after birth were more likely to be breastfeeding at one to four months, compared to those who did not.
- According to the World Health Organization, early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour—supported by immediate skin-to-skin—can significantly improve long-term breastfeeding rates.
- Studies have shown that mothers who have at least one hour of uninterrupted skin-to-skin immediately after birth are more likely to exclusively breastfeed during the first six weeks postpartum.
- In one UK-based study, skin-to-skin contact was associated with a 50% increase in breastfeeding rates at discharge from hospital compared to those who didn’t have skin-to-skin.
Skin-to-Skin for Bottle-Feeding Mothers: Bonding Beyond the Breast
Sometimes there’s a misconception that skin-to-skin is only important for mothers who are planning to breastfeed—but nothing could be further from the truth. Whether you choose to bottle feed from the start, use expressed milk, or combination feed, skin-to-skin is still one of the most powerful ways to bond with your baby and support both of your wellbeing.
For mothers who bottle feed, skin-to-skin offers many of the same incredible benefits:
🫀 Regulates your baby’s breathing, heart rate, and temperature, helping them stay calm and settled.
🛌 Reduces crying and improves sleep, especially in the early days.
💗 Strengthens emotional connection, helping to build attachment and promote responsive feeding cues.
🥰 Stimulates oxytocin release, which can support maternal mental health and lower the risk of postnatal depression—even without breastfeeding.
Research has shown that skin-to-skin contact enhances maternal satisfaction and confidence, regardless of how a baby is fed. In fact, one study in Acta Paediatrica found that mothers who bottle fed but practiced regular skin-to-skin contact reported stronger bonding and reduced anxiety, similar to breastfeeding mothers.
Feeding time doesn’t have to mean missing out on closeness. Holding your baby skin-to-skin during bottle feeds—or cuddling chest-to-chest afterwards—is a lovely way to encourage eye contact, warmth, and connection. Dads and partners can also benefit from this bonding time, helping them build a secure relationship with the baby right from the start.
As a midwife, I always reassure families that love, comfort, and connection come in many forms. Skin-to-skin is for everyone, and no matter how you choose to feed your baby, those quiet moments of closeness are deeply nourishing for both of you.
Skin-to-Skin and Maternal Wellbeing: A Buffer Against Postnatal Depression
While the physical benefits of skin-to-skin contact are widely celebrated, its emotional and psychological impact—especially on new mothers—deserves just as much attention. One of the lesser-known yet incredibly important advantages of immediate skin-to-skin is its link to improved maternal mental health, including a reduced risk of postnatal depression.
In those first few hours after birth, skin-to-skin promotes the release of oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone.” Oxytocin helps mothers feel more relaxed, connected, and emotionally bonded with their babies. This deep sense of closeness and reassurance can help ease the overwhelming emotions that sometimes accompany the early postpartum period.
Research has started to shine a light on this powerful connection:
- A 2020 study published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth found that mothers who practiced immediate and regular skin-to-skin contact reported lower levels of postpartum depressive symptoms at six weeks postpartum.
- Another study in Maternal and Child Health Journal showed that skin-to-skin significantly reduced maternal anxiety and promoted emotional bonding, both protective factors against postnatal depression.
- In women with a known risk for mental health concerns, early skin-to-skin was shown to be a simple, non-pharmacological intervention that increased maternal confidence and reduced stress hormones, such as cortisol.
I often talk to women who feel nervous about the emotional rollercoaster that can follow birth. While no single approach can prevent postnatal depression entirely, immediate skin-to-skin is a gentle, empowering way to ground yourself after birth, reconnect with your body, and feel truly present with your baby.
Even a few minutes of uninterrupted contact can create a meaningful bond and provide a sense of calm that carries through those first few challenging days and nights.
Skin-to-Skin and Sleep: Supporting Rest in the Early Days
Sleep is one of the most precious—and elusive—resources in the early days of parenthood. Between feeds, nappy changes, and adjusting to your baby’s cues, rest can feel like a luxury. But here’s something many new mums are surprised to learn: skin-to-skin contact can actually help improve sleep quality for both mother and baby.
When your baby is held close in a skin-to-skin position, especially in the first 48–72 hours postpartum, both of your bodies begin to sync in a beautifully instinctive way. Babies tend to cry less, settle more easily, and sleep more soundly when they’re close to your heartbeat, warmth, and scent. This calming effect has a knock-on benefit for you as well.
For mothers, skin-to-skin can:
😖 Reduce stress hormone levels, helping your body enter a more restful state during short sleep intervals.
🥰 Promote the release of oxytocin and prolactin, hormones that not only support breastfeeding but also encourage feelings of relaxation and emotional stability.
🫁 Help regulate your baby’s temperature and breathing, reducing the frequency of night waking due to discomfort or distress.
A study published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing found that mothers who practiced regular skin-to-skin during the first week postpartum reported better sleep quality and lower fatigue levels compared to those who did not. Even short, frequent skin-to-skin sessions during the day can help regulate your hormones and create a more settled rhythm between you and your baby—making those brief windows of rest more restorative.
Remember: you don’t need to “do” anything fancy. Just being close to your baby, especially in those early moments, has real biological benefits. Skin-to-skin is more than bonding—it’s a gentle, natural way to support your recovery and wellbeing in those crucial early days.
When Skin-to-Skin Isn’t Possible: Reassurance and Alternatives
While skin-to-skin has many well-documented benefits, it’s also important to acknowledge that not every mother will be able—or will choose—to have immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth. Sometimes medical complications, recovery from surgery, or unexpected events mean that the first few minutes or hours unfold differently than planned. And that’s okay.
If you’re unwell, need medical care, or simply decide that skin-to-skin isn’t right for you in that moment, it’s important to know that:
- You haven’t missed your chance to bond.
- There are many other ways to build a strong connection with your baby.
- Your baby can still thrive, feel secure, and benefit from loving, nurturing care.
🤍 Delayed Skin-to-Skin Still Works
Skin-to-skin doesn’t have to happen immediately after birth to be beneficial. Whether it’s hours later or the next day, it’s never too late to begin. Babies continue to benefit from skin-to-skin contact for days, weeks, and even months—especially during feeding, settling, or cuddling times.
🤱 Partners and Support People Matter Too
If you’re not able to hold your baby right away, your partner or chosen birth companion can often step in. Their warm, calm body can help regulate your baby’s temperature, heart rate, and stress levels in the same way, providing a safe and loving bridge until you’re ready.
💛 Bonding Comes in Many Forms
Bonding is not defined by one moment—it’s built over time, through eye contact, touch, talking, feeding, and simply being present. You can still connect deeply with your baby through gentle voice, skin-to-skin later on, bottle feeds, bathing, babywearing, and cuddles.
You are not “behind” or doing it wrong if skin-to-skin doesn’t happen right away. You’re doing your best with what’s available to you, and your baby feels your love in a thousand different ways.
Birth doesn’t always go to plan, but connection isn’t bound to a single moment. It’s in the ongoing rhythm of care, love, and presence—and that’s what truly shapes your baby’s sense of safety and belonging.
Bringing It All Together: Making Skin-to-Skin Part of Your Birth Preferences
Whether you’re planning a home birth, a hospital delivery, a caesarean section, or something in between, skin-to-skin is one of the simplest, most instinctive ways to support both your baby’s transition into the world and your own journey into motherhood.
From encouraging successful breastfeeding, better sleep, and stronger bonding, to supporting your baby’s immune system, emotional regulation, and even future health—this gentle act offers benefits that reach far beyond those first magical minutes.
I’ve seen how transformative skin-to-skin can be, and I always encourage women to include it in their birth preferences, whatever their birth plan looks like. That might mean:
🗣 Letting your midwife know you’d like uninterrupted skin-to-skin after birth, where possible
👨🍼 Asking your partner to take part if you’re unable to do it right away
🗓 Creating moments for skin-to-skin in the hours and days following birth, even if it didn’t happen immediately
And remember, there’s no one “right” way to do this. Skin-to-skin is about connection, not perfection 💜
Every baby, everybody, and every birth is different. The most important thing is that you feel supported, informed, and empowered to make choices that feel right for you and your baby.
If you’d like help preparing your birth preferences or have questions about how skin-to-skin might fit into your personal situation, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us today. You deserve care that honours your choices and supports your bond—right from the very beginning.
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