Skin-to-Skin Contact Critical to Newborns

Redlands Community Hospital hosts international speaker for 100+ area nurses, physicians, and clinical staff

REDLANDS, CA - Critical brain development occurs in the first hours, weeks and months of a newborn’s life. Research has proven that close skin-to-skin contact between a newborn baby and mother immediately after birth helps to complete growth of the intricate sensors in the infant’s brain, according to Nils Bergman, MD, MPH, PhD. Dr. Bergman is an international expert who travels around the world educating nurses, physicians, lactation consultants and a variety of medical staff on perinatal neuroscience and the importance of breastfeeding.

Redlands Community Hospital was one of a few locations in the USA chosen to host a day-long seminar on September 14. Other cities included Boston, Denver and Mission Viejo.

More than 100 people attended the program organized by registered nurses Laura Messmore and Mary Anna Heywood, lactation educators in the hospital’s Maternal Child Services department.

As a consulting public health physician, Dr. Bergman's areas of expertise are obstetrics and neonatology, specifically "Kangaroo Mother Care" - or keeping the baby close to the mother's skin. He has been one of the prime movers of its implementation worldwide. During his years as a practicing physician in Zimbabwe, his kangaroo mother care program increased survival rates of preterm babies fivefold. His research on skin-to-skin contact has been published in several medical journals and he has conducted research in both developed and developing countries.

"We were honored to host this incredible program for the region," stated Pam Erickson, Maternal/Child Director. "At Redlands Community Hospital, we always encourage close mother/newborn contact and breastfeeding. We have all private suites for new mothers and their babies and try to keep the newborn in the room with mom as much as possible. In our new building currently under construction, it will be emphasized even more through a 'Couplet Care' model."

Construction of the hospital’s new $47 million three-story Maternal/Child and Surgery Services building is progressing along well, with an anticipated opening in Spring 2007.

Redlands Community Hospital is a non-profit hospital located at 350 Terracina Boulevard in Redlands. For further information, call (909) 335-5500.

More than 100 nurses, physicians and clinical staff from throughout the region attended the September 14 seminar at RCH.

Laura Messmore, RN, receives a "Kangaroo Mother Care" pin from Dr. Nils Bergman.