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The biological significance of skin‐to‐skin contact and maternal odours
Author(s) -
Porter RH
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2004.tb00843.x
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , medicine , skin to skin , body contact , breast feeding , pediatrics , physics , optoelectronics
Infant‐mother bodily contact is believed to be the species‐typical pattern of immediate postpartum child care. Mothers and newborns engage in mutually beneficial interactions. Maternal odours stimulate breastfeeding activity and are implicated in individual recognition. Conclusion : Skin‐to‐skin contact and exposure to maternal odours facilitate infants’adaptation to the early postnatal environment.