Skin-to-Skin Contact After Cesarean Birth

Placing the new born baby on mother's bare breast and covering them with a blanket to keep dry and warm is called "Skin Contact". 

It might be a bit difficult for mothers giving birth by c-section surgery, because mother can see her baby only after she recovers consciousness in her room. 

"Skin contact" approach advocating that baby should be placed on mother's breast just after birth, is based on the idea that in normal birth or birth by c-section surgery, naked baby should be laid on mother's bare breast.

Mothers giving birth by c-section surgery generally have issues in nursing their babies. In births by c-section surgery, Skin contact after birth may provide an easier nursing as it relaxes mother and the baby.

The baby should be laid on mother's breast as long as possible after birth. Than baby is covered by heated towels or blanket to prevent heat loss. 

First care of the baby is also made on mother's breast. By the way, skin contact is also possible in births by c-section contact. Although mother is anesthetized, baby may get closer to mother by father's help. 

Laying the baby on mother's cloth or a towel, handing the dressed or wrapped baby to mother or providing cheek to cheek contact for a few seconds are not accepted as skin contact.

More info: http://sunnybrook.ca/media/item.asp?c=1&i=1125&f=caesarean-section-skin-contact