True or false: A nurse should encourage skin-to-skin contact of the newborn with the mother to help minimize the risk of hypothermia.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Only if the room is warm
• D. Only for breastfed babies

Answer: (A)

Encouraging skin-to-skin contact between the newborn and the mother is indeed beneficial for minimizing the risk of hypothermia. When a newborn is placed directly on the mother’s skin, it helps to stabilize the infant’s body temperature through a process known as thermoregulation. The mother’s body can provide warmth to the baby, promoting thermal balance and reducing the chances of hypothermia, which is particularly critical in the first hours after birth when infants are vulnerable to temperature fluctuations.

This practice also fosters bonding between mother and child, enhances breastfeeding success, and promotes various physiological benefits for the newborn, such as improved heart rate and respiratory stability. While it is important that the environment is warm to support skin-to-skin contact, the key element is that the direct contact itself significantly aids in maintaining an appropriate temperature for the infant. Hence, the assertion that a nurse should encourage skin-to-skin contact to help minimize the risk of hypothermia is true.