11.Promotes Skin to Skin Contact
Skin-to-skin contact has been shown to be extremely beneficial for both mother and infant. In fact, this is considered to be of the utmost importance when a baby is first born, which is why mothers are encouraged to embrace their newborns as one of the first things they do.
Breastfeeding is a highly effective method to promote this, and may also aid in bonding, in addition to promoting the production of important and beneficial hormones and neurotransmitters.
Babies spend their entire lives inside their mothers during pregnancy – they are literally as near as possible. During this time, they can hear the mother’s pulse as well as the sounds of blood rushing through her veins and arteries (which may explain why’shh’ has become the de facto sign for ‘at ease’). The closest thing to this is skin-to-skin contact between an infant and their mother, so it should come as no surprise that this is encouraged.
In fact, there is a school of thought known as ‘the fourth trimester’ that encourages parents to approach the infant’s first few months as if it were still in the womb. Maintaining as much proximity as feasible. Even if you choose not to breastfeed, it is highly recommended that you spend time skin-to-skin with your baby.
