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Skin-To-Skin Contact & Its Pivotal Role in Preemie Development

This Friday (November 17) is World Prematurity Day, and many people don’t realize that an estimated 3.8 million family members are directly impacted by premature births in the United States.

This year's global theme is “Small actions, BIG IMPACT:  immediate skin-to-skin care for every baby everywhere", showcasing the importance of mindful touch in the development of preemies. As the #1 provider of organic skincare products for preemies and newborns in NICUs, we understand and know the pivotal role mindful touch plays in communication and comfort. Touch enhances mental and emotional health, promoting a sense of safety, reducing anxiety, and bolstering the immune system. For a preemie, this blend of touch and care can significantly speed up their developmental and healing processes.

Skincare is a valuable pathway to facilitate gentle skin-to-skin contact, and brings added benefits when products formulated for preemies are used. Built on this core foundation, BEB Organic was developed to support the growth and health of fragile preemie skin. We teach parents how to combine our nourishing products with mindful skin-to-skin application rituals that help stimulate growth, support emotional well-being, and further strengthen the bond between parent and baby. 

Each year worldwide nearly 30 million babies are born prematurely, and of these 1.2 million are born in the Americas region, a statistic that resonates deeply with the team at BEB Organic. However, the impact extends far beyond the newborns, touching the lives of millions of family members who are connected to these tiny fighters. That is why BEB Organic donates a portion of every purchase to support NICU families, helping to build a foundation of health and care from the very beginning.

“Considering the immediate family alone – parents, siblings, and grandparents – the ripple effect of a premature birth can be felt by at least 10 people per baby. This means that annually, up to 3.8 million family members are directly impacted by premature births in the United States,” said Kim Walls, Founder of BEB Organic.

Premature babies often require extended stays in NICUs, placing emotional and financial strain on their families. The road to bringing their baby home can be long and fraught with challenges, but BEB Organic believes that showing support can make a significant difference for families. 

We believe all babies and families deserve the best possible start, which is why BEB Organic launched its NICU Family support program, Tiny Steps. We know that developmentally healthy, organic skincare can be out of reach for many preemie families. To help bridge the gap, we have created a discount program giving any NICU family that wants to use BEB Organic for their baby’s first year out of the hospital 25% off all orders for an entire year.

By using or continuing to use BEB Organic products, especially the Bubbly Wash, after baby’s hospital stay, we can help ensure that our preemies are not exposed to endocrine and nervous system disruptors, and drying, damaging surfactants as they continue catching up at home. 

Learn more about how to do preemie & baby massage for skin-to-skin on our blog: Mastering Preemie Baby Massage.

 

 

Sources

Feldman R, Eidelman AI. Skin-to-skin contact (Kangaroo Care) accelerates autonomic and neurobehavioural maturation in preterm infants. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2003 Apr;45(4):274-81. doi: 10.1017/s0012162203000525. PMID: 12647930. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12647930/

Moore ER, Anderson GC, Bergman N, Dowswell T. "Early skin-to-skin contact for mothers and their healthy newborn infants." Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22592691/

Ludington-Hoe SM, Ferreira C, Swinth J, Ceccardi JJ. Safe criteria and procedure for kangaroo care with intubated preterm infants. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2003 Sep-Oct;32(5):579-88. doi: 10.1177/0884217503257618. PMID: 14565736. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14565736/

Kostandy RR, Ludington-Hoe SM. The evolution of the science of kangaroo (mother) care (skin-to-skin contact). Birth Defects Res. 2019 Sep 1;111(15):1032-1043. doi: 10.1002/bdr2.1565. Epub 2019 Aug 16. PMID: 31419082. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31419082/

Stack DM, Muir DW. Adult tactile stimulation during face-to-face interactions modulates five-month-olds' affect and attention. Child Dev. 1992 Dec;63(6):1509-25. PMID: 1446566. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1446566/

 

Statistics on Premature Births:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth

https://www.marchofdimes.org/mission/prematurity-campaign.aspx

https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pretermbirth.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/vsrr/vsrr028.pdf

https://medlineplus.gov/prematurebabies.html

 

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