There is no better feeling than becoming a parent – regardless of whether it’s your first, your last child, or a child in between. There’s nothing more invigorating than knowing that you made such a perfect little human and that they are a part of you and the person you love. Unfortunately, sometimes our babies arrive a little too soon and need extensive care to ensure they will sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ and grow up.
The father in the photo was holding his new baby and giving the infant sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ contact because he or she was born early. However, what is seen in his lap is what has everyone talking. The man had an older son, who was laying on his father’s lap with his shirt off, holding the other newborn baby and providing sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ as well. The family had just welcomed premature twins, and the young boy proved how good of a big brother he is by stepping in and helping in the best was possible.
Several years ago, Scandinavian ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɴɪᴛʏ centers have adopted a new method of ʙʀᴇᴀsᴛꜰᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ infants. The method is known as “sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ” in medicine. The method appeared to be the best solution. A photo of a new dad, giving his premature baby sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ contact, has gone viral, and for good reason. As the father is captured gently allowing his baby to rest on his bare chest, what onlookers see happening on his lap has left them in complete disbelief.
The remarkable photo was originally posted to Facebook last year on a Danish family advocacy group page, Foraeldre og Fodsel, but the picture has just recently gone viral. It brings awareness to the benefits of sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ contact with infants and how important it truly is.
In the picture, a little boy warmed one of his newborn siblings, and his dad warmed the other infant. In addition, the method is especially used in the case of premature babies, putting them on their mom’s and dad’s chest. Actually, it is a very effective procedure for the newborn: it gives the baby calmness and positive feelings. Besides, “sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ” helps premature infants decrease after-birth sᴛʀᴇss and helps them to sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ and recover more quickly.
Due to this wonderful method, the survival rate of premature infants weighing 1 to 1.5 kg has recently increased from 30% to 70%. So, when these premature babies were born, their parents were surprised and tried to do every possible to help them sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ. Of course, with the help and constant support of the doctors! So, their 5-year-old boy was also anxious about the event. The young boy also wanted to initiate something to help his twin siblings. So, the parents, also the hospital staff agreed to let him in.
They thought, that it was essential to arouse the empathy of the kid toward others from a very young age. So, the boy volunteered and warmed one of his siblings so responsively, that soon, the users couldn’t stay indifferent to his gesture. The translated post said: “I love this picture of big brother helping his dad care for the twins.” Swedish Professor Uwe Ewald explained: “The parent’s chest regulates the temperature better than an ɪɴᴄᴜʙᴀᴛᴏʀ. Sᴋɪɴ-ᴛᴏ-sᴋɪɴ contact helps the baby to breathe better. The child becomes more calm and gains weight faster. Research shows that parents’ ʙᴀᴄᴛᴇʀɪᴀʟ ꜰʟᴏʀᴀ – compared with hospital bacteria – reduces the risk of sᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ɪɴꜰᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs in these delicate children.”
It’s a beautiful photo that will undoubtedly be cherished forever. I can only imagine how much love the mother feels for her fellas, who stepped in to help her take care of the new family members. Life’s greatest blessings are the one’s given by Gᴏᴅ – and babies are undoubtedly one of the best.
