Key points
Touch is one of the first senses to mature in babies. Touch is a good way to bond with your baby and strengthen your connection.
Sick or premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have many people touching them. Sometimes, the touching might be stressful, uncomfortable or upsetting – for example, if they’re having a heel prick or being ventilated.
But when you touch your sick or premature baby gently and lovingly, this helps your baby feel calm, safe, cared for and loved.
Just like any baby, your sick or premature baby in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) needs the comfort of human touch. But you do need to be very careful and gentle when you touch them.
Prepare your baby for touch
You can do this by saying something before you touch your baby. This way, your baby knows that something is about to happen. Your baby will learn to connect your voice and your touch. They’ll get to know that you’re the one who touches and holds them in a special, comforting way.
Use sustained rather than interrupted touch
Sustained touch is when you touch your baby with constant pressure and without moving your hands – for example, containment or comfort holding.
Interrupted touch is when you move your hands over your baby – for example, stroking and patting.
Premature babies often prefer sustained touch to interrupted touch. Sustained touch can help your baby feel comforted and secure, like they did in the womb. But interrupted touch can be stressful because your baby’s skin is fragile. As your baby gets older and their skin gets stronger, they might start to enjoy patting or stroking.
Start simple with touch
In the early days, touch might be very simple, like letting your sick or premature baby hold your finger. You can also try containment or comfort holding.
Try not to use perfume or strongly scented deodorant when you’re holding your sick or premature baby. These scents can make it harder for your baby to get to know your special smell.
Containment holding is when you pretend that your hands are like the walls of the womb.
Here’s how to do containment holding:
Your baby might be happy with containment holding at some times and on some days, but not others. Watch to see whether your baby likes one kind of touch better than others – for example, they might prefer touch on their head to touch on their feet.
Containment holding is also called comfort holding and deep touch.
Massage can be good for babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) when they’re old enough and well enough. Your baby’s nurse or doctor will be able to tell you whether your baby is ready to be massaged. Most NICUs have a physiotherapist, who can teach you how to massage so it’s comforting and soothing for your baby.
Skin-to-skin care is also called kangaroo care. It involves holding your sick or premature baby in an upright position, skin to skin, on your chest.
It’s a good idea to talk with your baby’s nurse or doctor about when to start skin-to-skin care. Some very tiny or sick babies aren’t ready for skin-to-skin care – for example, if they need a lot of monitors and other equipment.
Here’s what to expect with skin-to-skin care, when your baby is ready for it:
Skin-to-skin care can help you become sensitive to and understand your baby’s signs. This is all part of bonding with your baby. It can also help you adapt to the birth experience.
Skin-to-skin care has particular benefits for premature babies. It can improve their:
It can also help premature babies:
And it has long-term physical and behaviour benefits.
Our content is regularly reviewed for quality and currency. The last review of this article was by Rochelle Lester and Julianne Pegler, physiotherapists, Neurodevelopmental Therapy Team, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Melbourne. Scientific Advisory Board review was provided by Associate Professor Jill Sewell AM.
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