07/05/2026
One of my families had their baby this week and I was thrilled to received a pic of them with dad doing skin to skin, while mum catches a breather after her birth. I haven’t shared their pic for privacy reasons, but I wanted to share with you all how amazing skin to skin can be for partners too!
Sometimes partners are not sure where the fit in with breastfeeding, but they can be a huge help. We always want baby skin to skin with mum straight after birth and for those days and weeks to come, however sometimes for all sorts of reasons mum might need to be separated from baby. She may need a procedure, take a shower, or simply take a moment.
Skin to skin is just as beneficial with either parent. It invokes all of those feeding cues that we want, regulates babies heart rate and temperature and gets baby ready to feed.
And that’s not all! It also helps strengthens the parent-baby bond. It can reduces stress and anxiety and increases confidence in care, and promotes a calm, secure, and relaxed baby.
It’s a win win all round! Partners, make sure you wear something loose to your baby’s birth in order that you can step in if your partner cannot have skin to skin or there is a break in skin to skin.
