During your baby’s first year of life, you will visit the doctor’s office at least six times.

In many ways, your baby’s pediatrician will become an integral part of your new parenting life. You’ll discuss your baby’s medical concerns (and there will be concerns), you’ll trust them with your baby’s health, and they’ll have a direct influence on your most important choices.

As new parents, my husband and I struggled to find the right provider for our daughter. We actually switched providers when she was 3 months old just to begin the search again when we moved across the country. Finally, I think we’ve finally hammered out this meticulous process.

If you’re struggling to find the right pediatrician for your newborn or unborn baby, I get it. Choosing a pediatrician is hard. It’s one of the first difficult decisions you’ll make as a new parent and there’s so much riding on it.

And that, my friend, is where this ultimate guide comes in. I compiled this guide so you can easily learn how to choose a pediatrician for your baby. 

We’ll unpack the entire process of finding a great pediatrician, including how to search for one, when to search for one, what qualities to look for, and the extremely important questions to ask a pediatrician at a meet and greet.

By the end of this post, I hope you’ll feel much more comfortable and confident about this process. We both know how important your choice is, so let’s get right to it.

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• How Skin-to-Skin Can Boost Your Newborn’s Development

The Ultimate Guide to Finding the Perfect Pediatrician

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of the links I will make a small commission at no charge to you. I only recommend what I trust. Blunders in Babyland does not diagnose, treat, or give out any professional advice for any medical conditions.

What Are Pediatricians?

If you’re anything like I was before coming a mom, all of the medical jargon might sound a little confusing. Let’s break it down.

Simply put, pediatricians are doctors that specialize in children’s health. They only treat babies, adolescents, and teenagers. 

Because of this specialization, they are considered the experts in the field. 

From here, pediatricians can focus on sub-specialties. Most likely, you are looking for a primary care pediatrician. However, if you have a newborn with special needs, you might search for a pediatrician that sub-specializes in your baby’s ailments or conditions (we’ll get into that in a minute).

ABP Board-Certified

Ideally, your pediatrician will be ABP (American Board of Pediatrics) board certified. In order to gain this certification, they will need to pass the ABP’s extensive exam and continue passing every 7 years.

Why is this so important?

Technically, obtaining an ABP board certification goes above and beyond normal licensing requirements. It shows that your pediatrician is passionate about his work and committed to learning about the most current medical recommendations and treatment. 

Pediatricians vs. Family Physicians

Before we dive into how to choose a pediatrician, let’s talk about the practitioners you can select. The biggest question is, should you use a pediatrician or family physician?

Honestly, family doctors and pediatricians are both excellent choices for primary care. 

So, what’s the difference? Why would you seek out the aid of a pediatrician if you have a family physician that you’ve been seeing since you were in diapers?

Family Physicians

Family doctors  see a host of patients at varying ages. They are well-rounded professionals that deal with acute illnesses as well as chronic conditions. However, this need for diversity and flexibility may not allow them to specialize in infant care.

They may or may not be up with the times on current pediatric trends. They may not even enjoy working with small children.

Having said that, you absolutely can find a family physician that loves working with small children and is completely up-to-date. Many of these physicians take their own board-certification exam from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Once again, this is a voluntary certification that clues you in to your doctor’s level of commitment and passion for the field. 

 If you do select a family practitioner, you’ll enjoy the convenience of scheduling appointments together, simplified billing and paperwork, and having a doctor that is intimately acquainted with your entire family. 

Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Let me throw one more medical professional at you: pediatric nurse practitioners.

This professional is a registered nurse that specializes in pediatric care. At minimum, a pediatric nurse practitioner must obtain a master’s degree in nursing and must be board certified for pediatric care. Nurse practitioners are trained to perform most of the primary functions as pediatricians, such as wellness visits, diagnosing some illnesses, administering vaccines, and other medical consultations. Some may even sub-specialize in breastfeeding consultation.

There are many benefits to choosing a nurse practitioner; typically, they are allowed to spend more time with their clients, can be less expensive, and provide wholesome, individualized care. A nurse practitioner’s availability can also be more open. 

During my own quest to learn how to choose a pediatrician, a pediatric nurse practitioner wasn’t even on my radar.

Then, my daughter was diagnosed with a tongue tie and our search for someone to perform the frenectomy led us to our nurse practitioner. We loved her and switched from our current pediatrician immediately. We never regretted our choice!

Having said that, if your baby does have special needs or is a high-risk infant, you will need the care of a pediatrician or family physician. A nurse practitioner can consult or refer to a specialized doctor, but may not be qualified to help patients with severe or complex medical disorders.

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When to Find a Pediatrician

Should You Find a Pediatrician While You’re Pregnant or After the Baby is Born?

Finding a pediatrician for a newborn is a lot more difficult than finding a pediatrician for an unborn baby. 

Once you give birth, you’re going to be bone-tired. During the first couple weeks, your sole focus should be recovery and caring for your new baby. 

The trouble is, your newborn needs to visit a pediatrician 3-5 days after leaving the hospital. The last thing you want to do is begin the arduous search for your first pediatrician immediately after giving birth.

Begin your search around 28-30 weeks. That should give you a few weeks to conduct any research or interviews. That will also give you ample time to update your birth plan with your new pediatrician’s information.

RELATED POST: The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy Classes

How to Find a Pediatrician: Step-by-Step

Referrals

If you’re still pregnant, your first go-to should be your OB-GYN. If you like your OB-GYN’s bedside manner and personality, chances are she’ll be able to direct you to someone similar. Best of all, her referral may be in the same provider network, which can eliminate insurance or paperwork complications.

Your friends can also point you in the direction towards excellent providers, just be aware that their doctors may not be accepting new patients.

Search Engines

Personally, I love using my insurance provider’s “Find a Doctor” tool. Most insurance providers offer this tool on their website.

My insurance provider’s tool allows me to specifically search for pediatricians that are “in-network” within a 10 mile radius of my house. My insurance provider even shows a cost and quality rating associated with the practice.

If your insurance doesn’t provide this tool or their customer service won’t refer you to a provider, the AAP offers a similar (albeit less expansive) tool.

Screen Your Candidates

Once you find a pediatrician, cross reference with Google to research their client satisfaction, practice hours, and education history.

Many healthcare networks publish bios or interview videos of their doctors on their website. Check it out to get a feel for your doctor’s personality. 

Healthgrades.com and Vitals.com are also great resources for checking out reviews from current and former patients. Many times, the pediatrician’s education background and credentials will be listed on these websites as well.

Finally, take a peek at your state medical board disciplinary action website to ensure that there aren’t any current or previous cases against your candidates.

Choose Three Candidates

Most likely, you will not to meet with all three. The first interview might be a slam dunk. Still, you’ll want to have a couple secondary choices in case things don’t click with your first.

Set Up a Meet and Greet

Call your top three candidates’ offices to set up a meet and greet. Similar to a job interview, a meet and greet will allow you to analyze the pediatrician and his office to determine if he’s truly a good fit for your family. 

Some of you might be tempted to skip this step, but I think it’s one of the most important things to know about how to choose a pediatrician. If you’re pregnant, I highly recommend scheduling a meet and greet. It will solve so many problems in the long run. 

If you’re already the parent of a newborn, and time is of the essence, I do understand why you might want to skip this step. Still, at least speak with an office staff member to ask some of the interview questions below. 

Keep in mind, you may need to pay upfront for a meet and greet. 

What to Consider When Choosing a Pediatrician

Geographic Location

On those days when your baby can’t stand his car seat, when your toddler is wailing from a nasty fever, or you’re just dealing with dangerous weather, you will be so thankful that your pediatrician is located close to home.

If you can, try to find a facility within 20 minutes of home. That way, if there’s traffic or bad weather, you won’t be committed to a terrible drive. 

Also keep in mind other influences, such as additional county taxes, parking, and seedy parts of town.

Availability 

Appointments

You may have found the perfect pediatrician, but if she’s not available when your baby needs her, what’s the point? 

Before even setting up your meet and greet, I recommend asking the scheduler or office staff what their typical lead time is for appointments. Keep in mind that most wellness visits can and do book a couple weeks out. However, make sure that the office offers same-day or even next day appointments for sick babies.

Also consider your pediatrician’s office hours. Many pediatricians are now available until 6 or 7pm a few days a week and are even open on Saturdays.

You’ll likely visit the doctor’s office once a month for the first few months, so try to find an office with convenient hours.

Calls, Nurse Lines, and After-Hours Support

If it’s one thing you can trust, its that your baby will not adhere to a pediatrician’s office hours. 

A consultation line allows you to determine if an emergency room visit is necessary and save you from making unnecessary trips to the doctor’s office. Not to mention, after-hours support offers peace of mind. 

Also consider calls for general questions. Sometimes you can leave a doctor a message without hearing back for days. During your interview, ask about the lead time for general communication, like messages or emails. 

Hospital Network

Before deciding on your pediatrician, check out the hospital or healthcare association he’s affiliated with. This will tell you what hospital or other practitioners you will be recommended to. It can also give you an idea of the general beliefs and philosophies you can expect from your pediatrician’s office.

You may gain other advantages as well, such as health record and history availability and simplified billing.

Credentials and Specializations 

We already talked quite a bit about AAP or AAFP certification. Keep in mind your pediatrician’s sub-specializations as well. A few subcategories you might consider are:

• Neonatal-Perinatal Pediatrics
• Child abuse 
• Critical care
• Gastroenterology

A pediatrician’s educational background isn’t incredibly important (as long as they are truly a pediatrician!), but it can give you an idea of their experience, possible philosophies, and even years of practice.

Services Provided

Take a look at the services provided by your pediatrician’s office. Anything in-house will reduce inconvenient visits and minimize additional bills. 

 The main services you’ll want to look for are:

• Vaccinations
• Blood tests
• Breastfeeding consultations
• Physical and mental developmental monitoring
• Wellness visits
• Diagnosis of illnesses and diseases
• Sports physicals 
• Allergy care
• Urgent care or walk-in hours

Medical Coverage

Before you even schedule your meet and greet, ask the office staff if your insurance is accepted, what your upfront cost is, and get a general idea of their billing policies. Using your insurance provider’s “Find a Doctor” tool is a great way to take the guesswork out of the equation.

I’ve noticed that many people recommend asking the pediatrician about insurance and payments.

I do not think this is a question worthy of your meet and greet. Your pediatrician might have an idea about how the billing goes, but it’s a question better left to the staff that specializes in it.

Personality

At the end of the day, if you and your potential pediatrician aren’t vibing well, it should be a no-go. Even if the practitioner isn’t outgoing or overly friendly, he should at least be professional and open to answering your questions. 

Think about it; a pediatrician-parent relationship is long-term. In the first three years alone, you’re going to have at least nine checkups plus a myriad of phone calls and seemingly stupid requests. You should feel comfortable and confident voicing your concerns to this person.

Office Staff and Facility

A pediatrician is only as good as his staff and facility. If you’ve found the best pediatrician in the world, but you have to go through an army of rude employees to get to her, you’re going to walk away sooner rather than later.

Office Staff

The office staff should be helpful, friendly, and engaging. 

When you call to schedule your meet and greet, ask a few preliminary questions about the practice. This will be your first tell of the staff’s mentality. As long as you’re respectful with their time, the staff should have no problem answering your questions.

However, if they treat the conversation with impatience, this could be a red flag (though not a deal-breaker yet). Every office has a Debbie Downer.

During your visit, watch how the staff interacts with the rest of the patients. Are they rude and robotic or empathetic and friendly? A grumpy crowd in the reception room can be a dead giveaway that something isn’t right with the practice.

The Facility

I despise taking my daughter to urgent care clinics. I feel like we walk out sicker than when we came in.

With that said, a clean facility can ensure your baby’s continued health. Sanitation stations, separate waiting areas for the sick, and general cleanliness are all tells of the care that the practice puts into their patients.

When you choose a pediatrician, you also gain the advantage of a kid-friendly environment. So, check out the general vibe of the practice. Is it decorated with kid-friendly pictures and colors? Are there toys and other forms of entertainment available? Or is it drab and barely maintained?

A happy, engaging facility can minimize your baby or toddler’s anxiety.

Philosophy 

If there is one thing that could (and sometimes should) axe a pediatrician-parent relationship, it’s a difference in philosophies. 

During your interview, you do not want to skirt around the issues that you strongly believe in. Ask about the pediatrician’s views on vaccinations, sleep training, co-sleeping, breastfeeding, developmental milestones, etc. 

However, keep in mind that a difference in opinion may not make or break your decision. 

You’re really looking for how they respect and respond to your opinion. I once had a pediatrician that was perfect in all ways, but she despised sleep training. She respectfully told me her opinion and, because this difference wouldn’t affect how we worked together, it never became an issue.

How your pediatrician explains her philosophies is just as important as what she believes.

RELATED POST: Sleep Training 101: The Sleep Training Methods Explained

Technology 

I might be the minority here, but the technological aspect of a pediatric practice is extremely important to me. I don’t have time to send checks or wait for two weeks for test results to arrive by snail mail. 

Accessing records, results, and bills online is not only incredibly convenient, but it’s essential to keeping everything organized. 

Do you think this will be a priority for your family? Check out your pediatrician’s website. His online system may not be essential when you consider how to choose a pediatrician, but it should at least be a consideration. 

Interviewing Pediatricians: Questions to Ask

I think the interview process is one of the most important aspect’s of learning how to choose a pediatrician. The questions you ask a pediatrician should be direct, insightful, and not waste anyone’s time. This shows the pediatrician that you respect his time and have already done your due diligence. 

This approach will require you to do a little bit of research before the meet and greet.

Before you schedule the meet and greet, call the pediatrician’s office, even if you have the option to make an appointment online. Explain that you are choosing a pediatrician and would like to ask a few questions about his office before setting up the consultation.

Questions to Ask the Office Staff Before the Interview

• Are you accepting new patients?
• Do you accept X insurance?
• If so, what’s your upfront cost? If not, do you have a payment plan?
• What is your lead time on general appointments?
• Do you offer same-day or walk-in care?

Once you’ve googled and questioned the staff to gain basic information, you can focus on the questions you would ask during the meet and greet. 

These questions are focused on uncovering the passion behind your pediatrician, making sure his philosophies are in line with yours, and ensuring that his services will be enough for your family.

Questions to Ask a Pediatrician

1. Tell me about your practice.
2. Why did you choose pediatrics?
3. If you’re unavailable, who can I see or talk to about my baby’s illness? 
4. Does your practice provide after-hours consulting? (If not, how long does it take to get a call-back?)
5. Do you offer walk-ins or same-day sick appointments?
6. What’s your philosophy on (insert hot topic: vaccines, antibiotics, circumcision, baby weaning, breastfeeding, sleep training…)
7. Are your imaging or testing centers in our network as well? (If the doctor doesn’t know, it might be a good idea to ask where you would be sent to.)
8. Do you have children?
9. Do you have any experience with (insert your baby’s special circumstances)
10. If pregnant, ask about seeing your newborn at the hospital. If your doctor isn’t able to provide this service, it may not be a deal-breaker. Many hospitals have pediatricians that can perform this checkup.

Learning How to Choose a Pediatrician Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult

I promise, it doesn’t!

Once you find that spectacular pediatrician, you’ll feel like a load has been lifted from your shoulders. You’ll be confident that your baby is in good hands and that you’re receiving the best advice possible.

Learning how to choose a pediatrician requires a little bit of homework, but the results are so worth it. 

Now that you’ve gone through the guide, I’d love to hear your opinions and experiences about choosing a pediatrician. This is such an important topic and I know our other readers would love to hear from you. Let us know in the comments below.

Finally, If you’re searching for more new mom tips, I hope you’ll take a look around the blog and join us on Instagram and Pinterest as well. On Instagram especially, I post super quick, helpful new mom tips that you don’t want to miss. 

Good luck with your search!

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What if I told you that with one hour a day, you can dramatically improve your baby’s mental and physical development?

As the benefits of skin-to-skin are uncovered, more and more parents and medical professionals are implementing this easy, natural strategy. Although you’ve probably heard about kangaroo care at some point, the actual concept and technique might seem a little confusing.

Welcome to the Ultimate Guide to Skin-to-Skin with Baby. I wrote this article for parents just like you that want to learn everything they can about this miracle technique. Here you’ll learn exactly what kangaroo care is, its benefits, and how you can safely and effectively implement skin-to-skin with your premature or full-term baby.

By the end of this article, I hope you’ll feel prepared and excited to use this unique bonding experience in your own life.

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Kangaroo Care 101: Benefits of Skin-to-Skin and How to Do It

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase from one of the links I will make a small commission at no charge to you. I only recommend what I trust. Blunders in Babyland does not diagnose, treat, or give out any professional advice for any medical conditions.

What is Skin-to-Skin or Kangaroo Care

Skin-to-skin refers to the practice of laying your infant on your chest, uninterrupted and without any barriers, for about an hour.

Ideally, this would happen immediately after birth, within the first hour (AKA the Sacred Hour, Golden Hour, or Magical Hour). The goal is to practice skin-to-skin for at least an hour, but moms have experienced benefits with as little as 20 minutes.

Kangaroo mother care, or kangaroo care for short, is considered an interchangeable term for skin-to-skin. However, kangaroo care often refers to the intensive, round-the-clock version used for premature or sick babies.

Dr. Edgar Rey, a pediatrician from a under-equipped, overcrowded hospital in Bogota, Columbia, researched the technique in a desperate attempt to lower infant mortality rates. Essentially, he developed kangaroo care as an alternative to using an incubator.

Dr. Rey found that when the mother or father laid their baby on their bare chest for an uninterrupted amount of time, the baby would not only stay warm, but be much more likely to survive and grow.

In fact, using this practice, Dr. Rey was able to send his preemies home sooner and eliminate much of the overflow in his hospital.

If you haven’t read Dr. Rey’s story , it truly is an inspiring tale worthy of your time.

When is the Best Time to Do It

Ideally, you’ll want to practice skin-to-skin during continuously during the first hour of your baby’s life, “the Sacred Hour”. As long as you and baby is stable, he should be placed on your chest the moment he’s born. For the most part, providers are willing to check his vitals while he’s on your chest and perform the measurements at a later time.

There’s some debate whether your baby should be dried before skin-to-skin. When your baby receives skin-to-skin directly from the birth canal, he will still be covered in the creamy biofilm, vernix.

Vernix has numerous benefits, including added protection from potentially harmful bacteria and increased colonization of good bacteria from your vagina and skin. 

Having said that, studies have found that washing your baby before skin-to-skin is more beneficial if you’ve been tested positive for Strep B.

Is it Too Late to Start Skin to Skin with Baby?

What if you didn’t get any skin-to-skin with baby during that Sacred Hour? Is it still worth it?

Absolutely!

Studies show that kangaroo care is still beneficial if it’s practiced any time during your baby’s first 24 hours of life. Many of the benefits we’ll go over below aren’t just from derived from the first hour of life. They stem from continuous skin-to-skin throughout your baby’s first three months of life. 

When to Stop Skin-to-Skin

The next big question: kangaroo care until what age?

Most experts believe preemies benefit from kangaroo care the most for the first 20 weeks of life. Full-term babies should receive regular skin-to-skin until about 3 months.

Really, it depends on you and your baby. By 3 months, your baby will most likely be mobile and very uninterested in snuggling.

Skin-to-Skin and C-Sections

By default, skin-to-skin after a c-section is shockingly low, so it’s important to have a discussion about it.

According to Evidence Based Birth, only 70% of uncomplicated c-sections result in skin-to-skin with baby within the first two hours of life. In these situations, the hospital staff will take the baby to a warmer, wipe him down, assess his vitals and measurements, and attend to you in a separate space.

However, in many situations, you can request to have immediate skin-to-skin even after a c-section.

In fact, without the flora from your vaginal canal encasing baby in a cover of good bacteria, skin-to-skin is more important than ever. Studies have actually proven that immediate skin-to-skin after a c-section can reduce complications for baby and you.

What do you do if you’re unable to provide skin-to-skin? 

That’s where dad or another family member can take over. As long as your baby is healthy, you can request that dad provides kangaroo care for your baby.

He may not be able to give baby the benefits of breastfeeding or vaginal bacteria colonization, but there are several benefits of skin-to-skin with dad that you don’t want to miss out on (we’ll go over those benefits in a minute).

If you’re planning a c-section and want to learn more about the benefits of skin-to-skin with baby, I highly recommend reading this article by Evidence Based Birth. The statistics surrounding c-sections and kangaroo care are absolutely astounding.

Skin-to-Skin with Premature Babies

Now we’re finally coming back full-circle: skin-to-skin with preemies. 

Kangaroo care is a powerful technique that is still used in overcrowded hospitals in South Africa and South America today. Practicing skin-to-skin allows mothers leave the hospital sooner, reduces infant mortality rates, and can regulate baby’s vitals more efficiently than an incubator. 

In addition, numerous studies have concluded that premature babies gain weight faster and even show stronger mental development even into adulthood. 

Having said that, it’s important to trust the medical advice of your doctor’s too. Skin-to-skin contact is absolutely important, but it should only be practiced once your baby’s life is no longer in danger.

Skin-to-Skin With Dad

If mom isn’t around to experience skin-to-skin with baby, your child can still reap these benefits with dad. 

Kangaroo care with dad not only allows baby to experience the benefits of skin-to-skin when mom needs to rest, but it’s an incredible bonding experience for new fathers. A study in Taiwan found that fathers who practiced skin-to-skin reported more of an emotional bond with their child and experienced less anxiety with handling their new babies. 

Skin-to-skin with fathers is actually linked with more parental confidence and increased involvement!

The Benefits of Skin-to-Skin

Regulates Baby’s Body Temperature

Research has found that skin-to-skin not only adequately regulates baby’s body temperature, but it actually works better than an incubator. Believe it or not, your breasts regulate your baby’s body temperature.

A study in Uganda found that mother’s exhibit “maternal autonomic nerve‐mediated skin vasodilatation.” Basically, the mother’s skin reacts to the presence of her baby and adjusts temperature accordingly.

Vernix can also assist with insulating and regulating your baby’s temperature. Remember, that’s the creamy biofilm that covers your baby when he’s born.

Improves Lung and Heart Function

Once your baby lays on your chest, his body starts taking its cues from yours. Studies have found that your baby’s heart rate stabilizes and oxygen levels increase dramatically during skin-to-skin contact. 

This phenomenon increases brain development and decreases infant mortality rates. In fact, there’s actually one miraculous tale of a mother who was able to revive her baby simply by using skin-to-skin. 

Improves Breastfeeding

This is one of those benefits of skin-to-skin that you and your baby will continue to reap for the first year of his life.  Research has shown that babies who have early skin-to-skin breastfeed around 3 weeks longer than babies without regular skin- to-skin. 

There’s a couple reasons for this:

When your baby is first born and laid on your chest, he’ll instinctively begin the breast crawl. The breast crawl is exactly like it sounds; your baby will gradually scoot and slide up your chest, instinctively nuzzling and feeling for your nipples. This process stimulates your colostrum production, increases the likelihood of your baby’s ability to latch, and even helps you expel your placenta quicker.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Continued skin-to-skin will increase your milk supply and can even improve your baby’s latch.  One Swedish study concluded that latching problems are much more likely to resolve with consistent skin-to-skin contact. 

Note: If all of this breastfeeding terminology is confusing, I highly recommend taking the Ultimate Breastfeeding Class. It’s an online breastfeeding class that teaches you everything you need to know for under $20. I took it, loved it, and can’t recommend it enough!

Transfers Good Bacteria

During baby’s first few months of life, his immune system will be severely compromised. Your body is capable of giving him the essential immunities and “good bacteria” he needs to survive. One study showed that while most of the beneficial bacteria in a breastfed baby’s digestive tract comes from his mother’s breast milk, 10% actually came from the skin on mom’s breast.

Your skin contains helps good bacteria colonize, which helps with the decolonization of any bad bacteria festering in your baby. 

Your baby can also receive good bacteria from your vaginal canal, which is why some experts recommend practicing skin-to-skin before washing.

(That is, unless you’ve been tested positive for Strep B).

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Reduces Stress and Crying

When baby is contentedly snuggling with your breasts or chest, he’s producing oxytocin (the love hormone). This hormone, in turn, reduces the production of cortisol (the stress hormone). Babies that receive the benefits of skin-to-skin are usually found to deal with stress better, cope with pain easier, and cry less overall. 

Blood Sugar Regulation

This benefit of skin-to-skin leads to the next: stabilizing blood sugar. Because skin-to-skin increases your baby’s oxygen saturation rate, his glucose levels are increased as well. Glucose is an essential component to regulating your baby’s blood sugar. Studies have also found that newborns that experience skin-to-skin are less likely to be obese or develop Type-2 diabetes, possibly due to this process.

Secures Bonding for Baby and Mom

You’ve probably heard about this benefit time and time again: kangaroo care helps you form a beautiful bond with your baby. 

During the Sacred or Golden hour, something primal happens. Not only does your body begin to produce oxytocin, but your baby connects with you for the first time. He goes into this state of awareness where he looks deeply into your eyes. You’re the first face that he becomes familiar with and that is a powerful association. 

This bond is not only stronger during the newborn phase, but also into toddlerhood as well.

Increase Weight Gain

Kangaroo care has been found as an effective treatment for a preemie’s low weight gain. There are actually a few reasons for this: 

1. Regulation: When your baby is burning precious calories trying to maintain his body temperature, he’s not conserving those calories for growth.
2. Increased Interest in Breastfeeding: As we already discussed, a baby’s sense of smell is heightened. He will be able to smell your milk and naturally grow hungry, increasing the amount of feeds. Not only that, but during skin-to-skin you become much more aware of baby’s needs and will have the ability to offer more milk.  

Reduced Risk of Anxiety and Postpartum Depression

We’ve talked a lot about baby, so this skin-to-skin benefit is for mom.

Snuggling up to your baby is literally the cure for a bad day. One study found that moms practicing 6 hours of consistent skin-to-skin during baby’s first week of life and two hours a week over the next month reported fewer postpartum depression symptoms. 

That’s because, just like for your baby, skin-to-skin produces increased levels of oxytocin, which lowers the stress hormone, cortisol. Not only that, but parents that practice kangaroo care are often more confident and aware of their baby’s needs, which can make anyone happy.

Supports Brain Development

Preemies that received the benefits of skin-to-skin not only had increased levels of brain development during infancy, but as far as 10 years down the road.

In fact, an Israeli study performed by Bar Ilan University found that infants that received skin-to-skin contact showed better cognitive problem-solving skills. Not only that, but some studies have found that these babies possess more gray brain matter!

Scientists are still trying to discern exactly the cause of this phenomenon, but they believe that the increased circulation, oxygenation, improved sleep, and more positive tactile experiences. 

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How to Do Skin-to-Skin

Hopefully by now you’re all fired up to try some skin-to-skin with your baby. Let’s get into how to do it!

Practicing skin-to-skin contact with baby is a natural process and very easy to do, but you will need to prepare beforehand to make sure you’re doing it safely and effectively.

Some parents prefer to use kangaroo care shirts. Basically, these are stretchy shirts with a built in pouch for your baby to lay in. They allow you to be more mobile and/or hold your baby more securely. However, even if you do use a kangaroo care shirt, you’ll want to follow the guidelines and steps listed below.

Preparation

Ideally, skin-to-skin sessions will last for about an hour. Make sure that you’re fully prepared to sit for that hour. Make sure that you’ve used the bathroom, eaten, and taken care of all other business before you begin. Here are just a couple things to consider:

• Avoid harsh chemicals or perfumes- Babies are particularly sensitive to scents. Plus, part of skin-to-skin involves letting your baby get used to your scent and increasing his appetite for breastmilk. Perfumes or harsh soaps seriously hinder this process.
• Shower- If you’re doing skin-to-skin with a premature baby, shower first and ensure that there are no wounds open on your chest.
• Wear loose-fitting or easily accessible clothing- There should be no barriers between you and baby (except for a diaper).
• Set the mood- Finally, more for your sake than baby’s, set the mood of the room. A calming space will help you relax and truly enjoy the experience. 

Undress Baby and Lay Him on Your Bare Chest

If your baby is just arriving, you can obviously skip the undressing part of this step!

Otherwise, undress baby down to his diaper. Rememberm, you can wear clothes as long as they don’t hinder the skin-to-skin contact between you and baby. Any layer of clothing between you and baby will hinder this process. 

Once baby is undressed, lay him on your chest or between your breasts. You can put a blanket on baby’s back to keep him warm or use a cap as well.

What to do During Kangaroo Care

Bonding is sweet and all, but sometimes kangaroo care can get a little boring. Just keep in mind that this is relaxation time for you and baby. Try not to engage in any activity that is too stimulating, such as watching tv, playing with your phone, or chatting it up with your visitors. Focus on restful, quiet activities, like reading a book or talking softly to your baby. 

Some experts say that it’s okay to fall asleep while doing skin-to-skin, as long as you’re supervised. I would check with your practitioner first to see what she thinks. 

Safety tips for Skin-to-Skin

Get Supervision

If you think there’s any chance that you’ll fall asleep while practicing skin-to-skin, you should have someone else with you.

If you’re doing skin-to-skin right after giving birth, you’re going to be a little tired. Falling asleep unsupervised can put your baby at risk for falling or getting crushed. Participation with your spouse, family member, or even a nurse in the room with you allows you to safely enjoy skin-to-skin to its fullest without endangering your baby.

Skin-to-skin with baby with a breathing tube will most likely need to professional supervision as well.

Protect Baby’s Airway

The best way to ensure this position is for you to sit in a reclining chair or with some pillows propped behind you. Make sure your baby’s head is turned sideways, flat on your chest, not facing upward or into your skin. If you plan on practicing skin-to-skin, it’s a good idea to check out the AAP guidelines.

The Benefits of Skin-to-Skin Are Still Being Discovered

Harvard recently conducted a meta-study of 124 skin-to-skin studies. They found that there was a 36% decrease in mortality rates and 47% decrease for getting a sepsis infection. These results surpassed varying income levels and different standards of care. The validation for skin-to-skin care is only growing.

As providers in our own country learn about the medical benefits of this practice, kangaroo care is becoming more and more mainstream. Having said that, it’s important that you become your own advocate for skin-to-skin.

Here are just a few ways you can become your own skin-to-skin advocate:

• Speak with your provider now about implementing immediate skin-to-skin contact.
• Request immediate skin-to-skin in your birth plan
• If planning a c-section, speak to your surgeon about a “gentle c-section”.
• Share this article with your partner so you’re both in the loop

Skin-to-Skin reaps Lifelong Benefits

In this post, we’ve looked at the scientific side of skin-to-skin quite a bit. Let’s not forget the emotional aspect. These small moments with your newborn are precious. I hope you’re excited to try skin-to-skin with your little one. It truly is an amazing experience that you’ll treasure for years to come.

In the meantime, if you have any comments or questions about kangaroo care, we’d love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments below.

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