SSC is a practice where a newborn, wearing only a diaper, is placed directly onto a parent’s bare chest and covered with a blanket. This intimate interaction, ideally performed immediately after birth, is a highly effective method for initiating and significantly increasing breast milk supply. The warmth and proximity of this contact influence the body’s ability to produce and release milk. By stabilizing the newborn’s transition, SSC creates the optimal environment for successful feeding, which stimulates robust milk production.
The Hormonal Mechanism for Milk Synthesis and Ejection
The physical sensation of a baby resting on the bare chest initiates a cascade of hormonal responses in the parent’s brain. Sensory feedback from the baby’s warmth, touch, and scent signals the pituitary gland to release two hormones responsible for lactation. This biological chain reaction is why SSC is effective at boosting milk supply.
Prolactin is responsible for milk synthesis, instructing the cells within the breast to manufacture milk. SSC helps increase the release of prolactin. Higher, consistent prolactin levels translate to a greater capacity for the body to produce milk, establishing a larger baseline supply postpartum.
Oxytocin governs the milk ejection reflex, commonly known as the let-down. This hormone is released in response to calming stimuli provided by SSC. Oxytocin causes the muscle cells around the milk ducts to contract, pushing the milk forward and making it easier for the baby to access.
The release of oxytocin is sensitive to the parent’s emotional state; stress can inhibit its flow by increasing cortisol. SSC promotes deep relaxation, which lowers cortisol and facilitates a complete let-down reflex. An efficient let-down means the baby removes milk more effectively, signaling the body to produce more milk.
Practical Guidelines for Enhancing Supply
Parents should initiate SSC immediately after birth, during the “Golden Hour,” to maximize milk production. This timing capitalizes on the newborn’s most alert phase and the parent’s peak hormonal sensitivity. Uninterrupted contact allows the baby to instinctively seek the breast and begin the first feed, activating supply-building hormones.
The recommended duration for a single SSC session is 60 to 90 minutes, or until the baby has completed a full feeding cycle. This extended time ensures the full hormonal response is triggered and allows the baby to feed naturally. Positioning involves the baby lying prone (tummy-down) on the parent’s bare chest, upright between the breasts.
A warm blanket should be placed over the baby’s back and the parent’s shoulders to maintain the baby’s temperature. In the early weeks, practice SSC frequently, ideally before or during every feed. Consistent contact helps the parent become attuned to early feeding cues, promoting frequent milk removal and a higher overall supply.
Sustaining Supply through Infant Regulation
The long-term maintenance of milk supply operates on a principle of supply and demand, where the volume of milk removed determines the volume produced. SSC optimizes the infant’s behavior, making effective milk removal stronger and more efficient. SSC stabilizes the baby’s physiological state, including temperature, heart rate, and blood sugar levels, which conserves the energy needed for feeding.
A calm, regulated baby is more organized and focused, enabling innate feeding behaviors. When placed skin-to-skin, newborns exhibit the “breast crawl,” an instinctive sequence of movements that allows them to self-attach to the breast. This self-directed action results in a deeper, more comfortable, and more effective latch than a stressed baby might achieve.
The quality of the latch is paramount for sustaining supply because it determines how much milk is efficiently removed. An effective latch stimulates production sites and completely empties the ducts. By promoting this optimal infant behavior, SSC ensures the body receives the precise feedback required to meet the baby’s growing nutritional needs.