04/11/2025
✨ Skin-to-skin: every baby’s birth right ✨
At Helensville Birthing Centre, we believe skin-to-skin contact isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a fundamental right for every pēpi and parent.
📘 A landmark Cochrane Review (Moore et al., 2023) found that placing a healthy newborn directly on their parent’s bare chest immediately or early after birth provides powerful benefits — for both baby and family.
💫 Top 5 reasons we champion skin-to-skin:
👶 1️⃣ Better physiological stability – Helps regulate baby’s temperature, heart rate, and breathing; reduces hypothermia risk and supports a smooth transition into life outside the womb.
🤱 2️⃣ Improved breastfeeding outcomes – Promotes effective latching and increases exclusive breastfeeding rates at 1 and 6 months, while boosting oxytocin and milk production.
💗 3️⃣ Stronger bonding and attachment – Enhances oxytocin for both baby and parent, easing anxiety, building confidence, and nurturing trust. (Dads and partners can do this too!)
💤 4️⃣ Calmer, more settled babies – Babies cry less, sleep longer, and show more stable glucose levels, helping families enjoy gentler early days together.
🩺 5️⃣ Long-term health and developmental gains – Linked with stronger immunity, growth, and neurodevelopment, especially for preterm infants.
🌿 Why it matters at HBC:
• Builds connection and confidence from the very first touch
• Creates safer, calmer birth transitions
• Reflects our commitment to respectful, evidence-based maternity care
• Empowers every parent to give that first critical cuddle
At Helensville Birthing Centre, we’re here to make sure your baby’s first moments are gentle, supported, and filled with warmth.
Let’s make skin-to-skin the norm — not the exception. 💕
