Skin-to-skinย contact is usually referred to as the practice where aย babyย is dried and laid directly on their motherโs bare chest afterย birth, both of them covered in a warm blanket and left for at least an hour or until after their first feed.
There is aย growing body of evidence that skin-to-skin contact after birth helps babies and their mothersย in many ways such enabling colonisation of the babyโs skin with the motherโs friendly bacteria, thus providing protection against infection, and boosting babyโs immunity.
What makes human skin so special?
The skin is the most seen and public organ, yet the least understood. We must understand who we are and what our cells are made of, as we recognise ourselves by our skin.ย A magnificent array of chemical reactions takes place on a molecular and cellular level within the skin. Human skin is a complex living material, but in biomechanical tests it reveals its homogeneous nature.
Our environment can directly influence who we are. The skin reacts immediately and directly to the outside environment. The skin is the human bodyโs largest organ and should be looked at as a complex ecosystem. The skin is colonised by a diverse milieu of micro-organisms, most of which are harmless and some very beneficial to their host.
In utero, foetal skin is sterile, but colonisation occurs immediately after birth. Microbial communities of the skin and other sites are established and stabilised during the first years of life, especially with skin-to-skin contact with mommy or daddy as a newborn explores its environment and matures its immune system.
Environmental factors specific to the individual, including occupation, clothing, skincare regime and antibiotic usage may regulate colonisation by the skin microbiota. The effect of antibiotics on the gut microbiota has been examined molecularly with sufficient experimental results and a similar assessment of skin microbiota in healthy individuals needs to be explored to understand skin dynamics fully.
Products that sustain the effect of skin-to-skin contact
Mommy and baby care, hygiene and skincare products are potential factors contributing to the variation of skin microbiota. For example, the use of products that are not pH balanced will alter the conditions of the skin barrier and may either encourage healthy skin flora growth rates, or cause it to deteriorate.
Can a product optimise your skin-to-skin contact with your baby?
Biomedical Emporium is a leading biotechnology company with expertise in dermatology formulation science. A multi-award-winning brand, over time it has changed the way people see skin, as it continuously formulates an emporium of signature dermatological products that are as unique to the individual as their own fingerprint.
Biomedical Emporium offers a wide range of various skin care solutions for the entire human race, with no exception to mommies-to-be and babies. Its latest formidable skin care series is the Maternology series for pre-conception and pregnancy, and the Biosimilar BioBaby series for baby.
Maternology Range
The Maternology range is a skin care range for pre-conception and pregnancy. During the process of trying to fall pregnant, IVF treatments and pregnancy itself, it is important for a woman to change her skincare regime. This range will prepare mothersโ skin for the skin-to-skin contact after baby is born.
Many biochemical changes take place during pregnancy, emotionally, mentally and physically. Pregnancy gives some fortunate woman a beautiful glow due to the elevated hydration and skin moisture retention levels, along with the amplified exposure to vitamins and minerals via placental fluid transport.
Unfortunately, for other expecting mothers, the increased and fluctuating hormonal activity during the first trimester can have the opposite effect, such as an increase in sebum production that may cause acne and the expression of pigmentation.ย Skin care during pregnancy should be simple and easy due to the skin being much more sensitive and reactive. There is a long list of ingredients that must be avoided when trying to conceive and while being pregnant.The Maternology range is simple, easy, and safe to use. The ingredients are rich in vitamins and minerals that treat your skin optimally for pregnancy.
Biobaby range: paediatric dermatology
The Biomedical Emporium BioBaby Series was inspired by the twin pregnancy of the award-winning product formulator, Dr Judey. She has developed special care products for babies in the Biomedical Emporium Laboratories that provide the necessary care for sensitive skin, boost immunity and enhance the skin biodiversity.
There are a variety of postpartum skin problems that may occur in babies if they lack the necessary microbiota. One of these problems is seborrheic dermatitis, which is expressed as redness and flaking of the skin. It also causes severe itchiness and make babies very uncomfortable.
This can be due to a lack of fully developed microbiota on the skin to protect against such an expression. For this reason, The BioBaby Series was scientifically formulated with biosimilar microbiota to restore and balance the biodiversity of sensitive and compromised skin.
The BioBaby Series is free of allergens, irritants, phenoxyethanol, fragrances, dyes and parabens. Products in the BioBaby series offer gentle care for atopic skin.
