Your baby is born… now what?
Where should your baby be in the first hour after birth?…skin-to-skin?
Absolutely.
With the birth of your baby, their transition to life outside the womb begins. The best place for babies to learn about their new world is on the mother’s chest with skin contact. On your chest your baby’s senses will be stimulated by touch, sight, sound, smell and taste. It is a safe, warm place for mother and baby to bond, provide comfort and begin to learn baby’s early ways to tell you “I’m hungry”. In this first hour it is a time to slow down, there is no rush…your baby is here… enjoy holding your baby… enjoy touching and smelling your baby… enjoy knowing you are helping your baby’s heartbeat, breathing and blood sugar stabilize and to stay warm – all with your touch. You are a parent and welcome to the first hour.
“The Health Unit encourages all expectant families to make skin-to-skin part of their birth plan,” says Public Health Nurse Tanis Brown.
Skin-to-skin time with your baby is an important first step.
For more information:
- Visit http://www.healthunit.org/
children/growingup/skintoskin. html - Call the Health Unit’s Health ACTION Line at 1-800-660-5853
- Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter (@LGLHealthunit) for important public health information
- Watch and share this video about skin-to-skin:
Contact: Tanis Brown, Public Health Nurse, 613-345-5685
Or
Susan Healey, Communications Co-ordinator, 613-802-0550