Immediate skin‑to‑skin contact between a newborn and mother has once again proven essential for promoting healthier and more stable infants. According to the newly updated Cochrane review (April 2025) involving 69 trials and over 7,000 mother‑infant pairs, the benefits are remarkable and reliable.
Babies held skin‑to‑skin within the first hour of birth had improved body temperature, higher blood sugar levels, and stronger cardiovascular responses.
Furthermore, mothers practicing immediate contact were significantly more likely to exclusively breastfeed during the early months of their babies’ lives.
What the New Cochrane Review Reveals
Researchers analyzed studies across high‑, middle‑, and lower‑middle‑income countries, covering vaginal and cesarean births, including cases of late preterm infants. Results confirmed that approximately 75% of infants receiving early skin‑to‑skin contact nursed exclusively at one month, compared with 55% in control groups.
Thermal stability, respiratory health, and blood glucose balance were consistently superior among the skin‑to‑skin infants, highlighting physiological adaptation advantages after birth. Because of this substantial evidence, experts now consider withholding immediate skin‑to‑skin contact in clinical trials unethical and no longer scientifically justified.
The Practice: What Skin‑to‑Skin Involves
Skin‑to‑skin means placing the unclothed newborn directly upon the mother’s bare chest, ideally covered lightly with a warm blanket for comfort. This simple, non‑invasive practice mimics the baby’s natural environment within the womb, supporting stable temperature, heart function, and breathing regulation.
The mother’s body naturally adjusts to the baby’s temperature needs, preventing chills and metabolic stress within the first critical hour of life. It also reduces infant crying and stress hormones, promoting calmness and stronger bonding between mother and newborn.
Long‑Term Impact on Breastfeeding and Maternal Health
Beyond immediate stabilization, early contact plays a central role in initiating and sustaining breastfeeding successfully over several months postpartum. Mothers engaging in early skin‑to‑skin release more oxytocin, which enhances milk production and strengthens emotional attachment with their babies.
Exclusive breastfeeding, in turn, protects infants from infections, obesity, and chronic diseases while benefiting maternal recovery and reproductive health. Healthcare systems gain too, as successful early breastfeeding reduces dependence on formula, lowering healthcare costs and improving neonatal outcomes.
Ethical and Medical Shifts in Practice
Lead author Elizabeth Moore from Vanderbilt University explained that separation at birth remains common despite overwhelming evidence favoring early contact.
Historically, newborns were taken for weighing, cleaning, and medical checks immediately after birth, delaying the critical bonding phase unnecessarily. However, experts now emphasize uninterrupted skin‑to‑skin contact immediately after delivery until the first full breastfeed has been established.
The review stresses that assigning newborns to “no contact” groups in new studies would now be considered unethical under current global standards.
Global Recommendations and Policy Implications
Following the 2025 Cochrane update, the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed skin‑to‑skin as the recommended global standard of postnatal care. WHO encourages medical teams and hospitals to prioritize early contact even during cesarean deliveries, given its proven safety and efficacy.
The review also calls for improved implementation in healthcare systems that still separate mothers and infants during the early postpartum period. Future research should focus on improving application quality and exploring the practice’s benefits in low‑income regions where studies remain scarce.
Broader Health Insights: Neurobehavioral and Emotional Effects
Immediate skin‑to‑skin also triggers neurobehavioral development by activating sensory and emotional pathways vital for the baby’s early adaptation. Infants receiving early contact exhibit better sleep patterns, more stable heart rhythms, and reduced cortisol levels, signaling lower biological stress responses.
For mothers, tactile stimulation from skin‑to‑skin interaction enhances relaxation, thus decreasing postpartum anxiety and supporting emotional recovery. These combined effects underline how a simple intervention can promote both physiological and psychological well‑being for mothers and their babies.
Skin‑to‑Skin as Standard Global Care
The 2025 Cochrane review firmly establishes immediate skin‑to‑skin contact as an essential medical practice worthy of universal implementation.
Its impact on newborn temperature, glucose levels, and breastfeeding success makes it a powerful, low‑cost intervention for health equity globally. Given overwhelming evidence, experts urge maternity facilities worldwide to operationalize uninterrupted early contact between mother and child in every birth.
This simple, science‑backed practice offers babies a stable, nurturing beginning while empowering mothers through confidence and connection from birth.
