Faith Regional Health Services | living WELL | Spring 2019

FRHS.ORG 13 Breastfeed with ease Download the free Mamava mobile app today! ing with baby SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT, also known as kanga- roo care, is a wonderful way for parents to be close to their newborn baby. In addition, it has significant health benefits for moms, dads and babies. Skin-to-skin after delivery Placing an infant on a mom’s abdomen or between her breasts—or on a dad’s bare chest—immediately after labor and delivery has been shown to: •  Help keep a baby warm. •  Stabilize a baby’s heart rate and body temperature. •  Foster parent-child bonding. •  Comfort a baby. •  Encourage and increase a mom’s breast milk supply. •  Improve breastfeeding over the coming months. Even babies born premature or ill and who may be in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) can usually benefit from skin-to-skin contact. You just need to check with a nurse to find out when you or your partner can start kan- garoo care. “Skin to skin has so many benefits for healthy newborns and for premature babies,” says Dr. Hira Ahmed, pediatri- cian. “It helps to establish the connection between the par- ent and their child which then persists for a lifetime.” Skin-to-skin at home Kangaroo care should continue after your baby leaves the hospital. And the advantages to baby are the same whether mom or dad is doing the holding. Skin-to-skin snuggling can help your baby: •  Gain needed weight. •  Cry less. •  Experience longer periods of deep sleep and quiet alert states. Simply undress your baby down to the diaper and cuddle baby against your bare chest. You can also cover up with a blanket, if you want. Are you a new dad who wants to find some skin-to-skin time? Try holding your baby before or after bath time, when they wake up from a nap, or when bottle feeding. Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; March of Dimes; Office on Women’s Health; ZerotoThree.org Faith Regional celebrates breastfeeding and believes that all mothers have the right to feed their babies however and wherever they choose. But we also recognize that some mothers need private spaces to pump, prefer pri- vacy for nursing and may need a little help handling a toddler while feeding an infant. Mamava is here for you Welcome to Faith Regional Women’s and Children’s Mamava Lactation Suite—located near Target at the Sunset Plaza in Norfolk: •  A spacious, private and secure area with roomy benches, space for a stroller and a place to plug in your pump. •  Located and unlocked via the free Mamava app and proprietary Bluetooth-enabled Smart Lock.