The benefits and recommendations for preemies and skin-to-skin

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The benefits and recommendations for preemies and skin-to-skin

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When babies are born early, they have a hard time keeping up with room temperature. They don't have a lot of subcutaneous fat. So they can lose their heat quickly. It takes a lot of calories to maintain their heat, and they need those calories for growth. So keeping them at a warm temperature is critical. What that lead to was putting them in little incubators or isolates to keep their temperature better. Turns out though they're missing something really important and that's the human touch. We now know that when there's skin to skin contact, you can warm the baby that way, especially if you have a blanket on the other side. You can create this little tent of warmth. But also there's something about being connected that actually speeds their growth and decreases complications in the NICU. For some babies that's not going to work, depending on the medical condition. But I would ask the neonatologist how much skin to skin contact would be good for your baby and do whatever amount is best for them.

See Alan Greene, MD's video on The benefits and recommendations for preemies and skin-to-skin...

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Alan Greene, MD

Founder, DrGreene.com

Dr. Alan Greene founded his website, DrGreene.com, in 1995, cited by the AMA as "the pioneer physician web site." In 2010 he founded the WhiteOut Now movement to change how babies are fed from their very first bite of solid food, and in 2012 he founded TICC TOCC – Transitioning Immediate Cord Clamping To Optimal Cord Clamping. He is an author of several books including Feeding Baby Green and appears frequently in the media including such venues as the The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, the Dr. Oz Show, and is a regular columnist for Parenting magazine. He is a practicing pediatrician and the father of four.

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