Mother’s Touch Essential for Babies

According to a latest study published in the medical journal Biological Psychiatry mother’s touch or skin to skin contact with mother is essential for premature infants. The skin to skin contact has far reaching and beneficial effects on the lives of these infants which are evident even 10 years after the birth. The physical touch paves the way for normal physical and psychological development of the infant. The absence of physical contact manifests into several problems ranging from depression to assimilation into society as a productive and contributing member. These shortcomings were very obvious in infants who were deprived of skin to skin contact or were orphans.

The study is being spearheaded by Dr. Ruth Feldman a Professor at Bar-Ilan University. "In this decade-long study, we show for the first time that providing maternal-newborn skin-to-skin contact to premature infants in the neonatal period improves children's functioning ten years later in systems shown to be sensitive to early maternal deprivation in animal research," declared Dr. Feldman.

Researchers based their findings on a novel intervention technique developed in Columbia called “Kangaroo Care”. The technique was developed to prevent hyperthermia in premature infants as incubators were in short supply. The technique entails keeping the infants body temperature regulated at an acceptable level by using the mother’s body heat. The study which took 10 years to complete followed the lives of 73 infants who received one hour daily of skin to skin contact from their mother and the same number of premature infants that were placed in the traditional incubator care.

The study revealed some startling facts as skin to skin contact not only provided positive benefits for the infants but it evoked more sensitivity and honed maternal instincts in mothers. Children in Kangaroo care displayed better cognitive abilities in a series of test which lasted from sixth month till their tenth birthday. After ten years KC children displayed superior functioning of autonomic nervous system, better neuroendocrine response to stress and better cognitive skills.

"This study reminds us once again of the profound long-term consequences of maternal contact. The enhanced level of stimulation provided by this contact seems to positively influence the development of the brain and to deepen the relationship between mother and child." Declared Dr. John Krystal, editor of Biological Psychiatry. "Kangaroo Care is an easy-to-apply intervention with minimal cost and its multi-dimensional long-term impact on child development calls to integrate this intervention in the care-practices of premature infants across the world." Added Dr. Feldman.