A review of recently published NHS data shows that 30.84% of babies born in London could be missing out on the best start in life for their skin, as they don’t have skin-to-skin contact with a parent within an hour of birth. This equates to 21,135
babies born in 2021-22.

Skin-to-skin contact is offered to all parents at birth, unless a baby needs immediate medical intervention, but across England, the number of parents who are reported to have given their baby
skin to skin contact within the first hours of birth varies from region to region, with 84 percent of babies born in the South West reported to have had skin to skin contact within the first hour following birth compared to 62 percent in the East of England.

Skin-to-skin
contact immediately after birth is important for many reasons, including developing the microbiome. Everybody has their own microbiome, which is made up of millions of different bacteria, viruses and fungi. Developing this microbiome, in conjunction with
the environment the baby will be raised in, will help protect a baby against the infections and diseases they are most likely to encounter throughout their life. From the day a baby enters the world, it is important that they come into contact with their local,
unique microbes around them, and the best way is for them to have skin-to-skin contact with their parents as soon as possible. Even if a baby is born via C-section, skin-to-skin contact within the first hour is recommended, unless there is a medical indication
not to. Skin-to-skin contact is also associated with regulating mum and baby’s heart rates, regulating baby’s breathing and temperature, increasing the production of the hormone oxytocin which helps mum and baby bonding, and encouraging baby to breastfeed.

To help new
parents give their baby’s skin the best start in life possible, and support their skin health throughout their lifetime, midwives at
My
Expert Midwife
have created seven essential steps to expertly care for your baby’s skin:

1.
Prepare
to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby at birth by writing this in your birth plan

2.
Have
skin-to-skin straight after the birth to encourage their skin flora and microbiome to develop (your partner can do this too)

3.
The
first few days – use a bowl of water to clean your baby’s face and bottom (top and tail)

4.
The
first few weeks – bath your baby a maximum of 2-3 times a week unless visibly dirty

5.
Always
use the mildest products and moisturise after bathing to keep skin healthy and hydrated

6.
Protect
your baby’s skin by having skin-to-skin contact daily as often as possible

7.
After
three months you can start to use carefully selected essential oil blends to settle and soothe your baby

Skin-to-skin
contact is often associated with those moments immediately after a baby has been born, but babies can benefit enormously from skin-to-skin contact being built into their daily routine too. Regular, daily skin-to-skin contact between baby and their parents
can help support their developing skin flora, helping them to create their own unique microbiome from the people and environment around them.

When a newborn
comes into the world, their skin is around 30% thinner than an adults, has a different composition and is not only more sensitive but more prone to breaking down from irritants encountered. Skin conditions in early childhood are common with one in five children
experiencing eczema. Eczema tends to run in families; but some environmental factors can make eczema worse, including allergens, harsh soaps and bubble baths. Even washing in plain water can have a drying effect, so midwives recommend only bathing babies
when they are dirty and using only the gentlest of washing products, without fragrance for the first three months.

Lesley Gilchrist,
registered midwife and co-founder of My
Expert Midwife
said: “A newborn’s skin is different to an adults, and is more prone to breaking down which can lead to dry, sore skin. It is important that a baby comes into contact with their local flora and microbes, as soon as they enter the world in order to develop
their microbiome, so it is recommended that newborns have skin-to-skin contact with their parents within the first hour following birth and regularly throughout their lives up until two years old.

“We’ve developed
our seven steps to looking after baby skin to help new parents understand that they are the best thing for their baby’s skin, and that keeping baby’s skin healthy and clean need not be complicated or expensive. Our seven steps will be available for parents
to download from myexpertmidwife.com.

“As new parents
we all want to bath our babies, it’s what we are conditioned to think and do, we are told that it helps build a routine, that it will help achieve a good sleep pattern, it’s time for parents to bond with baby and we know they are all fresh and clean. What
is less well known, is that skin health comes from building their skin flora and the microbiome and then minimising disruption to their microbiome, will help them fight off infections and build up a strong immunity in the long term.”