skin to skin?

[ThreeWheelsGood]

Hope this is the right place to all: DD (our first child) is 8 weeks old and exclusively breastfed. Around the house everyday she wears a vest with sleepsuit/babygrow on top, we hardly ever leave her in just her nappy. I keep reading how important skin to skin contact is - why? and what counts? she obviously gets skin contact with me when breastfeeding, and we cuddle or hold her almost all day as she doesn't like lying down flat much. Should we be stripping off?

[Panzee]

I don't think I ever did it really, Not sure it makes any difference.

[NeedlesCuties]

you're doing just fine.

holding her, touching her hands and face.

as long as she's feeding well and putting on weight etc, you're doing a fab job

[ThreeWheelsGood]

thank you for the replies - she is gaining weight really well, so seems all is fine.

[CanIHaveAPetGiraffePlease]

You're fine! Skin to skin is often when they just have their nappy on and curl up with you so their tummy/legs etc are against you. However you're not doing anything damaging by not doing it!

It can be helpful to help stimulate milk supply when you start out breastfeeding which is one of the reasons its often suggested. The other is with "bonding", it can help you and your baby feel closer and snug. However it seems you have both of these established! In your case it would just come into the category of "nice thing to do but not necessary".

I quite liked the odd time I had the chance to curl up in bed with a nearly-naked babe, and baths... but my babies are bigger now!

[QTPie]

Isn't skin-to-skin most important the few hours after birth? Then it is really just holding and cuddles (ie clothes are ok)? Worth trying skin-o-skin if DC is really upset though....

[needsadviceplease]

Agree with all PPs.

I do get such a physical rush of love when I feel DS's skin against mine (eg when I pick him up and climb into the bath with him). It's powerful stuff. But apart from immediately after birth it's not something I've done for its own sake iyswim.

[KatieLily12]

Most people have answered how I would but I just wanted too add how lovely it is. You get all naked and snuggle together and the contact releases oxytocin for both if you so you get a nice bask in happy hormone. We do ours at bath time as its more natural but sometimes if we've had a fractious day I grab some covers and snuggle us up. My partner does it with our babe too.

Sounds like you're doing a great job x

[Orenishii]

I worried about this too. I had quite a traumatic birth and wasn't able to hold him when he came out. The nurses had hold of him and I remember yelling for Dh to take his shirt off and hold Ds.

Since then his skin always feel so fragile - I'm sure it's just my perception but I'm much more confident holding him when he's got a vest on.

Sorry op that was all about me! Don't have any advice except I hold his hands a lot and bathe with him so maybe you could try that :)

[Ilovecrossfit]

I think its more about touching her cuddling kissing her face etc you are doing just fine :)

[sassmonkey]

Skin to skin is lovely. My DS is 5 weeks old and I still make sure we have at least one session of skin to skin a day. Supposed to be very comforting for the babe and actually helps regulate their temperature. DS is my last babe so I try to bottle every minute of it!

[lola88]

I never done it either DS was a feb baby and we have no central heating so our house is far to cold for him to be naked he's now almost 11mo and mummy obsessed so i dont think it done our bond any harm at all.