1. Place your baby dressed only in a diaper and maybe a hat, upright against your bare chest.
2. Gently cover them with a blanket or your shirt to keep them warm.
3. Relax and enjoy your time together.

Whether you hold your baby for 20 minutes or an hour, every moment of skin-to-skin counts.

The Golden Hour: The First Moments After Birth

Research shows that skin-to-skin contact as soon as possible after delivery offers important health benefits for both of you, such as strengthening emotional bonds, releasing beneficial hormones, and creating an ideal environment for the first breastfeeding. This approach to newborn care is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The very first hour after delivery is often called the “golden hour.” During this time, placing your baby skin-to-skin on your chest can bring incredible benefits. It helps regulate your baby’s breathing, temperature, and heart rate, while calming both parent and baby.

Skin-to-Skin Beyond the Delivery Room

While the golden hour is a powerful start, kangaroo care isn’t limited to birth. Parents can continue practicing skin-to-skin in the hospital and at home. Even a few minutes a day can:

1. Promote bonding and emotional connection
2. Support healthy weight gain
3. Reduce stress for both parent and baby
4. Help babies sleep more peacefully

How to do Kangaroo Care for NICU babies

For babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), kangaroo care can be especially meaningful. Even when you can’t hold your baby skin-to-skin right away, there are still meaningful ways to bond and comfort your little one. If you are unable to have skin-to-skin time, here are some alternative bonding options:

1. Pump breastmilk: Providing breastmilk gives your baby the best nutrition and helps you feel connected, even when feeding looks a little different at first.
2. Share your scent: Leaving a cloth or piece of clothing with your scent near your baby helps them feel your presence and comfort until you can be close.
3. Gentle touch: Placing your hand on your baby or letting them wrap their tiny fingers around yours is a powerful way to bond and ease stress for both of you.

Benefits for premature babies:

1. Regulated breathing and a more stable heart rate 
2. Improved oxygen levels and better  regulated temperature 
3. Earlier and more successful breastfeeding
4. Calmer and deeper sleep
5. More rapid weight gain 
6. Earlier discharge

Do You Kangaroo?

Whether in the delivery room, at home, or in the NICU, the answer should be “yes!” Skin-to-skin is one of the easiest, most powerful ways to bond with your baby and support their growth. Huntsville Hospital Health System is committed to helping families experience the many benefits of kangaroo care and celebrating every precious moment of connection.