One of the most important things you can do with your baby is skin-to-skin contact, but it’s crucial that you understand exactly how it helps your newborn to thrive!
“You can go ahead and take your shirt off now!”
The maternity nurse’s command sent a massive jolt through my body, and I clearly wasn’t ready for this cherished moment.
I knew all about the importance of skin-to-skin contact with my baby, but I always imagined I would be doing it privately at home. Without uh, 2-3 maternity nurses glaring at me.
For whatever odd reasons that bounced inside my head, I tried to sneak my way out of it and replied, “Oh, I can just do that later…”
To be honest, I was hoping the nurses would just leave, because things were starting to feel awkward!
I was in great shape, so it wasn’t necessarily about me having man boobs or a big ‘ol beer gut, but something about taking my clothes off in front of these women and holding my baby felt strange to me.
All the nurses then tried to encourage me to take my shirt off and do skin-to-skin with my daughter and I instinctively wanted to scream at them for being “Skin Nazis”, but eventually relented and did the damn deed.
I reasoned that if my wife could lay in front of these women for hours being half-naked with her legs wide open, I could suck it up and take my shirt off for a few minutes!
Much to my delight, once I felt my daughter pressed against my skin, I stopped feeling embarrassed and forgot about everything around me.
I became enthralled in my new world, feeling her every subtle movement and the beat of her heart against mine.
It was an intimate moment like I never experienced before, and I was extremely proud of myself for getting over my hang-ups and enjoying this beautiful moment with my daughter!
Your baby has just been evicted from her home!
To fully understand why it’s so vital to hold your baby on your bare chest, try to imagine for a moment what your newborn is experiencing.
She was just ripped from the womb, her warm and safe spot, and has now been involuntarily thrown into a cold new reality.
It would be like sleeping peacefully in your cozy bed, then getting kidnapped by aliens with oddball heads, and being strapped onto a cold steel table in one of their creepy labs…. now comes the anal probe!
Nobody in their right mind is signing up for that (unless it’s Halloween!).
Having a little empathy towards your newborn will go a long way towards understanding her needs, especially when you can relate to the desire to be held close and loved.
It’s a simple human emotion that almost all of us share, especially your baby.
The importance of skin-to-skin contact with your newborn
Your baby’s development and ability to thrive will depend a great deal on her five senses, most especially touch. Without mincing words, touch will ultimately become the catalyst that helps her flourish in this brave new world.
Keep in mind that our skin is the largest sensory organ in the human body, made up of an intricate system of nerve endings and touch receptors that allow us to feel both pleasure and pain, as well as interact with the environment around us.
This is why skin-to-skin contact is so important for both you and your baby. It is an extraordinary way for your newborn to bond with you, and this simple act will begin to release oxytocin (the love hormone) in your brain, making you a more loving and involved father!
Nothing can replicate that feeling of closeness when the two of you have no barriers between your bodies, but even a thin undershirt can dampen that feeling and take away from this unique experience for the two of you.
She was just ripped from the womb, her warm and safe spot, and has now been involuntarily thrown into a cold new reality.
Think about lying in bed with your partner and cuddling with her.
Does it feel better if the two of you have on clothes, or when you are both naked and pressed up against each other?
Nothing against my wife’s polka dot panada pajamas, but things feel way more intimate between us when our bare skin is pressed up against one another!
That is the power of human touch, and you better believe your newborn can tell the difference between your skin and your clothing!
How to do skin-to-skin contact
While doing skin-to-skin contact isn’t rocket surgery, there are a few simple steps you should follow during each session.
This includes:
- Wearing a loose button-down shirt or going shirtless so that you can expose your bare chest to your baby.
- Avoid wearing cologne or aftershave as your baby will be highly sensitive to smells.
- There is no real time limit here but try to aim for at least 20 minutes per session.
- Avoid falling asleep when doing skin-skin, as you could easily turn over and suffocate your baby.
- Be sure to keep your baby warm by using a receiving blanket.
- Make sure your body is clean when doing skin-skin.
- Don’t smoke or drink (hopefully this is obvious to you!)
- Ideally, you will want to have several sessions a day.
If your partner has a c-section, you will have to step up in her place and do mandatory skin-skin, especially if you have a preemie or newborn with health conditions.
This is why I would advise you to wear a loose button-down shirt to your baby’s delivery, just in case you have to step into your partner’s place if she’s unable to do skin-skin contact right away.
In some cases, your newborn may not take to skin-skin right away and may cry or be fussy as hell.
Try not to let this upset you and never try to force the issue!
Eventually your baby will be receptive to the idea, and if he isn’t, don’t hesitate to speak to your pediatrician for solutions.
The benefits of skin-to-skin contact
While skin-skin is extremely important for low weight babies and preemies, it also has tremendous benefits for all babies, including:
- Helps to form a strong bond between baby and parents.
- Regulates breathing and the heartbeat of your baby.
- Regulates your baby’s temperature.
- Makes your baby feel loved and cared for.
- Calms your baby and can help promote healthy sleep patterns.
- May help to reduce how often your baby cries.
There is no doubt that skin-to skin contact plays a substantial role in the development of your baby. However, you may have to overcome some awkward moments at the hospital when you hold your baby bare chested for the first time.
Having a child will put you in countless situations that you will find uncomfortable, so just look at this as your initiation into fatherhood!
Also, keep in mind that the nurses and doctors see men doing skin-to-skin every day, so it is nothing unusual to them. Your worries of someone gawking at your man boobs or scary hairy chest, will be more than likely unfounded.
Once I held my daughter against my bare chest, everything felt so natural, and I no longer cared about the presence of anyone else in the room.
I highly suspect you will have a very similar experience if you can just let go and live in the moment!
