Out of all the gentle, instinctive things we can do after birth, skin to skin is one of the most powerful. And yet, it’s often spoken about as something that belongs only to the first hour. In reality, it is so much more than that.
In my work supporting families in the early postnatal period, I often encourage parents to think of skin to skin not as a moment, but as something to return to again and again in those early days and weeks.
Because for your baby, closeness is not a nice to have, it is a biological need.
What is skin to skin?
Skin to skin is exactly as it sounds. Your baby wearing only a nappy, placed directly onto your bare chest, where there is no barrier between you and they can feel your warmth and your heartbeat.
This is how babies are designed to transition after birth - held close, feeling safe and gently regulated through you.
Why skin to skin matters for your baby
At birth, your baby is making one of the biggest transitions of their life. From the constant rhythm and security of the womb to a world that feels bright, loud and unfamiliar. Skin to skin helps to soften that transition.
When your baby is held against your chest, their body begins to regulate through yours. Their breathing steadies, their heart rate settles and their temperature stabilises.
But there is more happening beneath the surface. Your baby’s nervous system is still developing and in these early days they rely on you to help regulate it. When they are close to you, they hear your voice, recognise your scent and are comforted by your heartbeat, all of which are familiar from before they were born. This familiarity helps them feel safe.
It is often why skin to skin can calm a baby so quickly when they are unsettled. You are not just soothing them, you are bringing them back to what their body already knows.
Skin to skin also supports early feeding, encourages longer periods of rest and helps reduce crying in the early days. It is one of the simplest ways to support your baby as they adjust to life outside the womb.
It’s not just the first hour
You may have heard of the ‘golden hour’ after birth, and while that first hour is incredibly important, it is not the limit. Skin to skin continues to have powerful effects in the hours, days and weeks that follow.
In those early days, babies are still adjusting. They often need frequent feeding, close contact and support to settle, and coming back to skin to skin can help reset things. It supports feeding cues, encourages calmness and allows your baby to rest more deeply.
It also plays an important role in your baby’s developing immune system, as they are exposed to your natural bacteria, helping to build their microbiome in those first days of life.
Skin to skin for preterm and newborn unit babies
For babies who arrive early, or who need care on a neonatal unit, skin to skin becomes even more important.
You may hear this called kangaroo care, which is an approach that has been widely researched by Dr Nils Bergman, who has shown how close, uninterrupted contact can support even the smallest babies.
Skin to skin can help stabilise breathing and heart rate, regulate temperature and support feeding and weight gain. It also supports brain development and helps babies feel more settled, even in a clinical environment.
If your baby is on a neonatal unit, you can ask about kangaroo care. In most cases, the team will support you to do this safely and even short periods of time can make a meaningful difference.
The impact on you as a mother
It is not just your baby who benefits - your body responds too.Holding your baby skin to skin encourages the release of oxytocin, the hormone that supports your uterus to contract after birth, reduces bleeding and helps your milk to flow.
It also lowers stress levels, helping your body to slow down and rest. Your body begins to relax, your heart rate steadies and many mothers notice a sense of calm when their baby is close. In those early days, when everything can feel new and overwhelming, this matters so much.
Skin to skin can support your emotional recovery, ease anxiety and gently build your confidence as you get to know your baby. It also creates space to sit, rest and recover while your baby rests on you, where there is no expectation to do more.
A gentle start that shapes everything
Skin to skin is not complicated and it doesn’t require equipment or planning. It is simply just about closeness and in those early days and weeks, it supports your baby’s transition, your recovery and the connection between you. And it is something you can come back to again and again.
It’s a simple, instinctive way to help both of you feel safe, settled and supported.
Midwife insight
In my work, I often gently remind parents that babies are not expecting independence in the early days, they are expecting closeness, because that is what they have always known.
Skin to skin is not something extra to try and fit in, it is a foundation that supports both you and your baby as you navigate this newness together. If your baby feels unsettled, if feeding feels difficult, or if everything feels a little overwhelming, bringing your baby close can quietly help to reset things for both of you.
In those early days, all that is needed is to slow down and simply be together. You might feel like you are doing very little, especially when there is pressure to be doing more, but in these moments, you are doing everything your baby needs.
Your baby is not being needy. They have been close to you throughout your pregnancy, and this closeness is what still feels safe to them now. Independence develops gradually, from feeling safe and secure first, and often it is these simple, quiet moments of connection that matter most.
