Reviewed by The Mom Store editorial team, October 2026. See our editorial policy.
Skin to skin contact means holding your baby against your bare chest, dressed only in a diaper, with a blanket over both of you. In neonatal units it is often called kangaroo care. It needs no equipment, and the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative guidance on skin to skin contact recommends it from straight after birth for at least an hour, or until after the first feed, and at any time afterwards when your baby needs comfort.
What it does for your baby
Straight after birth, skin to skin helps keep your baby warm and calm and steadies their breathing, according to the NHS guide to the first few days of breastfeeding. UNICEF UK adds that it helps regulate your baby's heart rate as they adjust to life outside the womb, and that it lets them pick up their mother's skin bacteria, which helps protect against infection.
For babies born early or small, the difference can be life saving. The WHO fact sheet on preterm birth says kangaroo mother care started immediately after birth can substantially reduce deaths among preterm and low birthweight babies, and that mothers and newborns should stay together unless the baby is critically ill. In neonatal units, UNICEF UK notes that skin to skin can improve a baby's oxygen levels and reduce stress after painful procedures.
Any soft cover over your baby's back will do. On warm days a muslin swaddle wrap works well for this and doubles as a baby sheet or towel.
How it helps with feeding
Lying on your chest brings out your baby's natural crawling and latching reflexes, which helps them attach to the breast, the NHS explains, so the first hour of skin to skin is a good time for the first breastfeed. UNICEF UK says babies who get to know the breast this way are more likely to breastfeed well later, and that skin to skin can help boost a mother's milk supply. If you are formula feeding, holding your baby skin to skin during some feeds is still a good way to be close.
What it does for you
UNICEF UK describes skin to skin as calming and relaxing for mothers. It triggers a surge of hormones that drive bonding behaviours such as smelling, stroking and talking to your baby, and supports a close, loving relationship. The NHS notes that it keeps comforting both of you over the first days and weeks, so it is worth carrying on at home, not only in the delivery room. Partners can hold the baby skin to skin too, following the same safety steps; it gives them their own quiet time with the baby and gives you a chance to rest.
If it cannot happen straight away
After a caesarean you should still be able to have skin to skin straight after delivery, according to the NHS. Hospital routines differ, so ask your doctor in advance and mention it again on the day. If your baby needs special care, skin to skin may be delayed. You will still be able to bond with and breastfeed your baby, and the midwives or nurses can show you how to start as soon as it is possible.
How to do it at home
- Sit semi reclined, propped up with pillows on a bed or a firm chair. UNICEF UK recommends this position, with your baby's head supported so their airway stays clear.
- Undress your baby down to the diaper and open or take off your top. Front opening nightwear makes this much easier during night feeds.
- Lay your baby tummy down on your chest, head turned to one side, so you can see their face and their nose and mouth are clear.
- Cover both of you with a blanket or muslin, thicker or thinner depending on how warm the room is, so your baby stays warm.
- Stay as long as you both like. After birth, UNICEF UK advises at least an hour; at home there is no set time.
A wrap style robe with an overlap front, like our Sunburst Drape nursing robe dress, opens easily for skin to skin and feeds.
Keeping it safe
Skin to skin is safe when you are awake and alert. UNICEF UK advises watching your baby's breathing, colour and tone just as you would in a cot, and making sure they cannot fall or get trapped in bedding or against your body. Avoid it while you are on medicines that make you drowsy, and ask someone to help if you are very tired or in pain, since a mother in pain may not be able to hold her baby safely.
If you start to feel sleepy, put your baby down on their back in their own cot or crib. The NHS advice on reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome is clear: do not sleep on a sofa or in an armchair with your baby.
If your baby's breathing, colour or muscle tone ever worries you, take them off your chest and get medical help straight away. UNICEF UK advises stopping skin to skin promptly whenever the health of either of you gives cause for concern.
This article is general information and does not replace advice from your doctor.
