Aside from the obvious, how wonderful it is to feel your baby next to you, skin-to-skin naps (also known as 'contact') have incredible physical and emotional benefits for both mom and newborn. And in this post we delve into some of the most powerful reasons to make the most of them.
Of course, we understand that those hours of motionlessness with your baby can be very tiring, so when you want to replace those contact naps with the crib, you should know that it is okay. As we always repeat at Mamás Mateas, the best thing for you and your baby will be what makes sense and works for you.
And be careful! Although this article is focused on mother and child naps, remember that these benefits are equally positive if the father is the one taking the naps.
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The power of first skin-to-skin contact
Whenever the health of the mother and the baby allows it, the WHO recommends immediate skin-to-skin contact after giving birth, whether it is a normal birth or a Caesarean section. Some of its benefits are that it helps regulate the baby's heart rate and breathing, its body temperature and prevents hypothermia. In addition, this moment allows the baby to seek out its mother's breast and feed on the first drops of colostrum , which in turn generates an 'explosion' of oxytocin for the mother that helps her postpartum recovery.
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Safety and calm
Your heartbeat, your scent, the comfort of your body, the vibrations of your voice… all these elements combine to give your baby security and calm when he sleeps in contact with you. For 9 months you were all he knew, and now in the unknown extrauterine world, your skin will feel like the safest place.
“When held, infants tend to snuggle into the person’s neck and mold themselves to the person’s body. This position is reassuring for the infant and also allows the infant to get to know his or her caregivers and to associate the various perceptions of touch, voice, sight, and smell with the person holding them” ( To have and to hold: Effects of physical contact on infants and their caregivers , Ann E. Bigelow * Lela Rankin Williams).
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Enhances secure attachment
This intimate contact between the baby and its mother strengthens the emotional bond and secure attachment between the two. After months of gestation, it is now time to connect from a new dimension. In addition, it has been shown that skin-to-skin contact helps calm the baby and the mothers' anxiety.
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Regulates the baby's body temperature
Newborns are not yet able to effectively regulate their body temperature, so they can easily become cold or hot . In this sense, holding your baby while sleeping helps regulate their temperature, which can lead to a more restful and longer sleep.
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Longer naps
Newborns' sleep patterns are still very immature, so it's normal for them to not follow a particular order. But if you're having trouble getting their naps to last or you notice they're over-tired, skin-to-skin contact is a good tool that can help you lengthen those short naps.
To learn more about the world of infant sleep, we recommend our Online Newborn Sleep Course , where you will find everything you need to know about your baby's sleep from 0 to 4 months.
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Benefits for the mother and/or her caregivers
But not only does the baby benefit from these contact naps, but the mother (father or caregiver) does too. The first reason is the blessed oxytocins (known as the love hormones), which help postpartum recovery and reduce stress ; and then there is the fact that this physical contact makes it easier to 'read' and understand the signals that this newborn gives us.
“Physical contact with infants also affects caregivers. Physiologically, physical contact with infants, particularly frontal contact, stimulates the release of oxytocin, which is associated with nurturing behaviors and positive moods (Uvnäs-Moberg, 2003; Uvnäs-Moberg, Handlin, & Petersson, 2015). Behaviorally, when in close physical contact with infants, caregivers more easily learn to recognize infants’ cues: when they are asleep, when they are awake, when they are hungry. Such awareness enhances caregivers’ responsiveness to infants.” ( To have and to hold: Effects of physical contact on infants and their caregivers , Ann E. Bigelow * Lela Rankin Williams).
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Find a balance
Despite their benefits and how good they feel, we know that skin-to-skin naps can be very tiring for the mother, as they leave her 'immobile' for many hours. So if at any time you want to stop skin-to-skin naps , for whatever reason, you should know that IT'S OK.
