Many times when we think of skin to skin, we think of the golden hour shared between a mother and her baby. Skin to skin with mom has many benefits, including better immune system function for baby, improving cognitive development, helping boost the baby’s ability to successfully breastfeed, and strengthening the parent-baby bond. That being said, many people don’t realize that skin to skin contact is just as important for dad and baby as it is for mom.
Here are a few ways in which dad and baby can both benefit from skin to skin contact.
Benefits for Dad
So much of birth and postpartum focuses on the mothers’ primal need to be close to her baby. What many people don’t realize however, is that a father shares that same biological need. Research has shown that just 30 minutes of skin to skin with dad can actually rewire his brain.
A mother has the advantage of the natural hormonal changes her body experiences. But when does this happen for Dad? For dad, time spent with his baby skin on skin helps the bonding process begin and helps kickstart those primal, fatherly instincts.
How can dad start to bond?
When dad spends time skin to skin with his newborn, he experiences hormonal changes and fluctuations much like a mother experiences when she breastfeeds. A rise in dopamine and a release of oxytocin mean dad’s brain can create a positive association with close interaction with his baby. When dad brings baby to their chest, oxytocin and dopamine are released, his testosterone levels decrease, and he feels lighter, more relaxed, and at ease when sharing this special moment with his child.
Many times, fathers feel left out as the baby and her mom have nine months to bond before she even arrives. This can leave dad feeling like the odd man out when it comes to father-baby bonding. This is where skin on skin contact comes in. The hormonal fluctuation he experiences help him respond in a nurturing and affectionate way towards the baby. These reactions on dad‘s part help to create a stronger bond between him and his child.
This interaction doesn’t negate the important bond a father shares with their child if they didn’t have the opportunity to have baby on their chest. Many dads have gone without skin to skin contact and have still turned out to be excellent, hands on parents. Skipping skin to skin doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to share a poor parental bond with your child. But studies that show that dads who have practiced skin to skin are more interactive with their kids and report a stronger long-term bond. So why not try it out?? It seems worth it to me. 😉
Benefits for Baby
One major benefit for your baby is the effectiveness of keeping them warm. A mother’s biological breast tissue automatically adjusts to regulate baby’s body temperature, making baby warmer or cooler as needed. Men do not have that breast tissue, but men have a slightly higher core body temperature than women on average. So while your body may not be able to adjust its heat to warm your baby, your body is automatically going to warm and comfort your infant just like mom’s body can.
Another benefit is, skin on skin contact can help soothe your baby. Studies have shown that babies who are held skin to skin are 12 times less likely to cry. Therefore, if your baby is fussy, skin to skin alone can help solve that problem!
Studies also show that babies who are held against they father’s chest are more physiologically stable than babies who aren’t. Holding your baby close with their skin to yours helps your baby feel safe, and this gives them the ability to focus more on their surroundings and familiar sounds, like their daddy’s voice.
Snuggling your infant can cause baby’s cortisol levels to drop only 20 minutes after being held. Babies held against their fathers’ chest are known to have a more stable heart rate, blood sugar levels, better breathing patterns, and a lower pain response.
Skin to skin between dad and baby can also have an immune boosting effect on the infant. We hear a lot about mom passing antibodies onto her baby through bare skin contact, but that is also true for dad’s. Dad’s immune system automatically passes on his antibodies through his skin, making baby more resilient to illness.
When should Dad stop skin to skin?
For all the reasons listed above (immune system, heart rate, blood sugar levels, better breathing, stability, bonding, a calming effect, etc) dad can continue snuggling baby against their chest for as long as he would like! Some men only prefer to cuddling their babies like this while they are newborns, while others continue it into the toddler years. Either way, no matter how long you choose to do skin to skin with your child, you will both benefit from it greatly!
A few different ways you can continue skin to skin after the newborn phase are: bathing with your child, carrying your baby in a baby carrier while shirtless, taking shirtless contact naps, swimming with them in the summer, and taking 30 minutes to snuggle with your baby before or after bed.
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