Touch Points

The wonders of skin-to-skin contact are numerous, whether your baby is full-term or premature. Heres what makes kangaroo care so good.

Childbirth is a long and painful process that leaves mom exhausted. Yet nothing quite beats that awe-inspiring moment when you’re holding your baby to your chest, feeling the tiny ball of life against your skin. It’s an indescribable sensation where a sense of completion sets upon you, and in that moment, all’s well in the world. The benefits of skin-to-skin contact, also known as kangaroo care, go well beyond this emotional moment for mothers.

The medical benefits have been well documented by various research, and kangaroo care is widely accepted as something that helps babies thrive.

When a newborn sleeps better, his stress levels are significantly lower. His body temperature is better regulated, which means baby’s all-important calories are conserved for growth and weight gain. What’s more, being positioned on mom helps to stabilise his respiratory and heart rates, and has positive effects on his brain development.