Supporting Newborn Development
Developing Brain Institute research partner Mariam M. Said, M.D., says the first three years of life are critical to a child’s long-term health and development and adds that even the first hour after birth is significant. In an article published by NorthernVirginia magazine, Dr. Said writes that first uninterrupted hour of skin-to-skin contact after childbirth, known as the “golden” hour, “helps to regulate a baby’s body temperature, heart rate and breathing while promoting early bonding. This hour is also correlated with relieving stress and anxiety after delivery for both the mother and baby.”
