Skin-to-skin contact

Skin-to-skin contact is the instinctive way to help your baby attach and get your milk flowing. Right after birth, your baby can be placed directly onto your bare chest. You can enjoy this special contact until after the first breastfeed, or longer.

Skin-to-skin isn’t just for the first moments; it can happen any time you and your baby need comfort, calming or support while learning to breastfeed.

Skin-to-skin contact is important for every baby and mum. While it’s especially powerful in the hours after birth, skin-to-skin can be just as beneficial in the days, weeks, and months that follow. Whether you’re comforting your baby, supporting breastfeeding, or simply enjoying a quiet moment together, skin-to-skin contact continues to offer lasting benefits for both of you.¹

Benefits of skin-to-skin contact

For your baby

Helps regulate your baby’s body temperature, heart rate, breathing and blood sugar levels.
Helps to release hormones and trigger instincts in your baby that make feeding easier.
Makes it easier for your baby to show when they’re ready to feed.
Increases the chance of a good latch and successful breastfeeding.
Calms your baby if they’re upset.¹

For you

Helps release hormones that are important for making milk ²
Helps you learn your baby’s feeding cues
Strengthens your bond with your baby.³
If you need to express milk, skin-to-skin contact releases oxytocin which helps with your let-down.^2,4

For your breastfeeding relationship

Mums who hold their babies skin-to-skin contact after birth (ideally for at least 90 minutes and until after the first breastfeed) are more likely to be exclusively breastfeeding when they leave hospital. ⁵
Skin-to-skin contact increases the chances of continuing to breastfeed for longer.⁶
For babies with latching difficulty in the first few months, skin-to-skin contact, along with breastfeeding counselling, may help your baby learn to attach more quickly.

Skin-to-skin before breastfeeds

Starting feeds with skin-to-skin helps your baby use their instincts to move and attach to your breast. This approach supports learning and makes breastfeeding feel more natural for both of you.

For comfort or connection

Skin-to-skin isn’t just for feeding. Many mums find it helps them feel closer to their baby and can ease stress or anxiety. The hormone oxytocin, released during skin-to-skin, can help you feel calm and connected.
Oxytocin can lower blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety levels.
Baby placed skin to skin can calm them.

How to do skin-to-skin

Place your undressed baby (in just a nappy) on your bare chest.
Cover both of you with a soft blanket for warmth and privacy.
Lean back and hold your baby in a way that feels comfortable.
Keep your baby skin-to-skin as much as possible in the early days, so they can feed whenever they’re ready.

Planning for skin-to-skin after birth

Talk with your caregivers before birth about your wish for immediate skin-to-skin contact.
Ask for your baby to stay on your chest until after the first breastfeed. Most checks and weighing can wait.

Special situations

After a caesarean:

If you have a caesarean birth, ask for your baby to be placed on your chest as soon as possible. Many hospitals do this as standard practice. If you need medical care, your partner can provide skin-to-skin contact.

If your baby is in special care:

Skin-to-skin is even more important for premature or special care babies. Also called ‘kangaroo mother care’, this helps keep your baby’s heart rate, breathing, and temperature steady, much more than in a humidicrib. Skin-to-skin contact will also help release breastfeeding hormones in your body to support your milk supply. Aim for as many hours as possible each day.

If you missed skin-to-skin after birth:

It’s never too late. Skin-to-skin at any time can trigger your baby’s feeding instincts and help you both connect.

References

Moore, E. R., Brimdyr, K., Blair, A., Jonas, W., Lilliesköld, S., Svensson, K., Ahmed, A. H., Bastarache, L. R., Crenshaw, J. T., Giugliani, E. R. J., Grady, J. E., Zakarija-Grkovic, I., Haider, R., Hill, R. R., Kagawa, M. N., Mbalinda, S. N., Stevens, J., Takahashi, Y., & Cadwell, K. (2025). Immediate or early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 10(10), CD003519. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003519.pub5
Scatliffe, N., Casavant, S., Vittner, D., & Cong, X. (2019). Oxytocin and early parent-infant interactions: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Sciences, 6(4), 445–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2019.09.009
Kennell, J., & McGrath, S. (2005). Starting the process of mother–infant bonding. Acta Paediatrica, 94(6), 775–777. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2005.tb01982.x
Jurek, B., & Neumann, I. D. (2018). The oxytocin receptor: From intracellular signaling to behavior. Physiological Reviews, 98(3), 1805–1908. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00031.2017
Li, Z., Mannava, P., Murray, J., Sobel, H. L., Jatobatu, A., Calibo, A., Tsevelmaa, B., Saysanasongkham, B., Ogaoga, D., Waramin, E. J., Mason, E. M., Obara, H., Tran, H. T., Tuan, H. A., Kitong, J., Yaipupu, J. M., Cheang, K., Silvestre, M. A., Kounnavongsa, O., Putney, P., … Western Pacific Region Early Essential Newborn Care Working Group (2020). Association between early essential newborn care and breastfeeding outcomes in eight countries in Asia and the Pacific: A cross-sectional observational study. BMJ Global Health, 5(8), e002581. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-002581
Crenshaw, J. T. (2014). Healthy birth practice #6: Keep mother and baby together—it’s best for mother, baby, and breastfeeding. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 23(4), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1891/1058-1243.23.4.211