If the newborn’s clinical condition is favorable, skin-to-skin contact should be initiated immediately after birth.
The vital signs of mother and baby should be checked regularly to monitor their well-being. The person accompanying the patient, family member, doula or health care staff should monitor the woman’s wakefulness to protect the newborn’s safety in this vulnerable period.
With that in mind, neonatal care areas should implement skin-to-skin contact as early as possible. Each facility should set its own goals for this practice in premature infants. While being realistic, making sure the resources are available to do it safely, they should be ambitious, trying to benefit as many newborns as possible.
Regardless of the feeding modality and the level of technological assistance required, skin-to-skin contact is indicated as long as both mother and baby are clinically stable.
Members of the healthcare team must be trained to transfer the baby from the incubator to the mother and vice versa, placing the baby against their mother’s skin safely and avoiding any stress.
