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Skin-to-Skin Care in the Newborn

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4m of CPD
Skin-to-skin care simply involves holding an infant in an upright, prone position, skin-to-skin on the parent’s chest. Clothing or blankets are then wrapped around the baby, providing a kangaroo-like pouch for comfort and security. Benefits include improved breastfeeding and parental bonding.

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Skin-to-skin care simply involves holding an infant in an upright, prone position, skin-to-skin on the parent’s chest. The parents’ clothing or blankets are then wrapped around the baby, providing a kangaroo-like pouch for comfort and security. Improved breastfeeding, as well as deeper levels of parental bonding and attachment, are just a few of the important benefits that can be gained from this contact.

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Meet the educator

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Anne Watkins
Anne is a freelance lecturer and medical writer at Mind Body Ink. She is a former midwife and nurse teacher with over 25 years’ experience working in the fields of healthcare, stress management and medical hypnosis. Her background includes working as a hospital midwife, Critical Care nurse, lecturer in Neonatal Intensive Care, and as a Clinical Nurse Specialist for a company making life support equipment. Anne has also studied many forms of complementary medicine and has extensive experience in the field of clinical hypnosis. She has a special interest in integrating complementary medicine into conventional healthcare settings and is currently an Associate Tutor, lecturing in Health Coaching and Medical Hypnosis at Exeter University in the UK. As a former Midwife, Anne has a natural passion for writing about fertility, pregnancy, birthing and baby care. Her recent publications include The Health Factor, Coach Yourself To Better Health and Positive Thinking For Kids. You can read more about her work at www.MindBodyInk.com.
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What do others think?

217 reviews by Ausmed Learners
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LH
Louise Hennessy
29 Jul 2021
Concise, good, quick easy to read article. Great information contained with mention of most recent research articles.
NL
Nicola Lee
23 Jul 2021
Good overview.
LW
Lynee White
26 Jul 2021
Excellent article
MG
Maree Gale
06 Mar 2023
Registered Midwife
relevant to practice
PB
Penelope Byrne
22 Apr 2022
Kangaroo /Skin to skin care has been promoted for many years but nice to have some stat's to reinforce why it has been so helpful.
RT
Rachel Tabib
24 Jul 2021
This online educational material has provided additional information on evidence-based research that is relevant to my clinical practice as a midwife.
LB
Louise Bottega
01 Aug 2021
Excellent, very please it talk about mothers with premature babies.
DC
Debra Curran
28 Jul 2021
A wonderful article that makes me so happy to read it! I have always promoted skin to skin contact with the mother long before it was embraced by our Australian Western maternity services. I have always promoted mothers to breast feed their newborn within the first hour of birth; as it is such a special time after birth when the infant is usually alert. I have always encouraged fathers to cuddle their newborn infants as early as possible too after birth and usually after the mother has had her skin to skin cuddle of course. In some instances the baby needs to be whisked away for medical treatment; but there is always a time afterwards for skin on skin contact cuddles.
KP
Kristin Parker
27 Jul 2021
very interesting
SL
Sarah leong
23 Jul 2021
Excellent
4.6 / 5
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