Dr. Debby Pollack, a Pediatrician, says, "Newborns who have lots of skin-to-skin contact that are sick, get well quicker, gain weight more quickly, seem to have a more stable heart rate and respiratory rate and often can leave the hospital sooner than an infant who doesn't have skin-to-skin contact."
According to a study from McGill University in Montreal -- when stuck with a needle, premature babies held by their mothers get over the pain much faster than babies wrapped in a blanket.
Dr. Pollack says, "Infants who have skin-to-skin contact during a heel lance for a blood draw, would have less crying. And less facial expression that's seen with pain ... If something this simple and that actually helps the parents feel better as well, can help with infant pain-it's an easy way to reduce pain in hospital and office blood draws."
Doctors say skin-to-skin may not be practical in every situation. For instance, with a sick newborn, who is getting blood drawn every few hours.
