Table 2.
Safe skin‐to‐skin care
| Safe Interactive Skin‐to‐Skin Contact in the First Hour After Birth |
|---|
| 1. Make sure that the mother is in a comfortable semi‐reclined position with support under her arms. |
| 2. After drying the newborn infant, lift the newborn infant gently to avoid compression of the thorax when placing the baby skin‐to‐skin. Put the baby prone, in a lengthwise position with the head on the mother's chest above the breast. |
| 3. Cover the baby with a dry blanket/towel. Leave the face visible. |
| 4. Make sure that the nose and mouth are not enveloped by the mother's breast or body or obscured by the blanket. Initially, the baby's head should be turned to the side. |
| 5. The newborn infant must have the opportunity to use its reflexes to lift the head so the nose and mouth can be free. This is of special concern if the mother has large and/or very soft breasts. |
| 6. The nipple must be accessible to the newborn infant. For some mothers, this may require positioning a towel or pillow under or on the side of the mother's breast. |
| 7. Show the parents how to support the breast to secure free airways especially during the time the baby starts searching for the breast. Verify understanding. |
| 8. Remind the parents to focus on the newborn infant and follow the newborn infant's early behavior, making sure that the parents follow the 9 stages. The other parent should be observant, not distracted by mobile phones, etc., during skin‐to‐skin. |
| 9. Extra attention may be required if the mother is affected by sedation after childbirth as well as during possibly postpartum suturing. The other parent should be aware of the situation and watch for the safety of the infant. |
| 10. Labor medications can affect the newborn infant, and hamper reflexes. The medications may impair the newborn infant's reflexes enough to prevent the ability to lift the head to protect itself from suffocation. Babies affected by labor medications must be constantly monitored. |
Adapted from The Swedish‐American Team for Baby Adapted Care of Health Infants in the First Hours after Birth, Widström, Svensson and Brimdyr, for Kom Ombo Hospital, Egypt, 2007 and from http://www.lof.se/patientsakerhet.