A woman in Australia is reported to have cuddled her premature baby back to life, even though her doctors had pronounced the baby dead. Times of India recently carried an article about a mother in Sydney, Australia who had given birth to twins, out of which doctors could save only one. When the doctor told the mother that one of her babies did not survive, she did not lose hope and unwrapped the baby, removed her gown and held him close to her chest, skin-to-skin. She started talking to the limp baby, calling out his name, and cuddling him. An amazing thing happened after about two hours – the baby started showing signs of life… He occasionally gasping for air and started to move. The mother gave her baby some breastmilk on her finger which he took and gradually started to breath normally.
As I write this blog, I am amazed at the power of touch and skin-to-skin contact with one’s newborn. Such is the beauty of the neurochemical reactions that are set in motion as a result of skin-to-skin contact that we have seen babies respond to mothers ways which medicines probably could not have. While I am all for medical interventions when there is a medical need or emergency, our experience at our birthing center, The Sanctum has reinforced the belief that skin-to-skin contact is an essential part of newborn care, including immediately after birth and during breastfeeding.
The Touch Research Institute is the world’s first research center that devoted solely to research on power of touch and its application in science and medicine. Here is the link to their website. There are many articles that are useful to expectant parents.