FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Please feel free to email jill@kangaroomothercare with further questions Is skin-to-skin contact only for premature babies or for every full term baby? Skin-to-skin contact should be standard care for every baby at birth. For premature babies it is even more essential for their stability. How soon after birth can skin-to-skin contact be done on a full term baby? Skin-to-skin contact should start at birth, for every baby; this helps them stabilise. If separation is absolutely necessary for any reason, it should be as short as possible. Can skin-to-skin contact be done straight after a caesarean section? YES! Skin-to-skin contact can be done in the operating room on mother if she has had a spinal. If she has had a general anaesthetic, or feels unwell for any reason, the baby can be put on dad. What happens if mother cannot do skin-to-skin contact at birth, will Dad or another person do? Dad, or any other close person, like a granny can do skin-to-skin contact ! How does skin-to-skin contact affect breastfeeding? Skin-to-skin contact is actually THE KEY for breastfeeding! For example, in skin-to-skin contact the baby can find the breast on his own, and then the suckling stimulates the mother’s brain to release the hormones to produce milk. Is breastmilk so important? YES!!! There is plenty of good scientific evidence. Breast milk is the only healthy food for your baby’s brain growth and immune and gut protection. Compared to mother’s milk, anything else is very sub-standard. Breastfeeding “is NORMAL”. It provides the right sensations for brain-wiring The more often your baby feeds, the more breast milk is produced. Premature babies need breast milk even more than full term babies to protect their gut from infections. Prems will need to be fed small amounts often Is there any long term benefit from Skin-to-skin contact? The baby feels SAFE to start bonding which leads to attachment. A secure attacment is the basis of future adult health, both mental and physical. What are the benefits of skin-to-skin contact? Skin-to-skin improves everything! Download a summary. Does skin-to-skin contact or KMC have an effect on Postnatal depression? Skin to skin contact has a profound effect on reducing postnatal depression. Mother feels that she is empowered to care for her baby, and copes better. If I haven’t been allowed to hold my baby for the first week is it too late to do skin-to-skin contact? It is never too late to love someone! The earlier you can do SSC, the better for you and your baby. You may need to give your baby extra skin-to-skin contact to catch up for that time missed. Can I do KMC over my shirt, or does it have to be skin-to-skin contact? Even one thin layer of clothing disrupts mother baby contact enough to decrease benefits. Especially, temperature benefits, and breastfeeding benefits are reduced.

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