Researchers have found that premature babies benefit from skin-to-skin contact with their parents.
Stress buster
Despite previous experts suggesting that babies born between 28 and 31 weeks were too young to benefit from human touch, scientists from McGill University in Canada have proven the opposite to be true — premmies do respond to the comforting touch of their parents.
So much so, that cuddling babies born as early as 28 weeks reduced the stress of painful medical procedures that many of them must undergo.
On top of the health benefits, cuddling also encouraged a parental bond, which could prove important if further testing and neonatal care is required in the months to come.
Cuddling takes away the pain
As part of the study, researchers observed premature babies who were given the common "heel prick" test, a blood-test screening for blood-sugar levels.
Ordinarily, this test is painful and distressing for babies, but the researchers found that those who were held by their parents had lower heart rates and blood-oxygen levels, which suggests less stress. The babies being actively cuddled also showed less pained expressions and were quicker to recover.
Importance of skin-to-skin contact
Despite growing evidence that skin-to-skin contact is beneficial to the child's health and wellbeing, parents in UK neonatal units are still often not encouraged to cuddle their premature babies.
Professor Linda Franck from the Institute of Child Health in London says this can create a barrier for new parents. "Neonatal units can be very intimidating places, and parents often do not know how to get involved," she says.
But, despite this barrier, Franck says this study highlights the importance of parents becoming more involved. "This study suggests that, even for the very youngest premature babies, skin-to-skin contact can reduce the stress response."
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