UNLABELLED: Theme: Parenting/parenthood.

INTRODUCTION: Early maternal contact can protect the infants' brain from harmful effects of stress while deprivation increases the stress level and leads to increased sensitivity to stress.

AIM: To evaluate the effects of continuous skin-to-skin contact (SSC) after preterm birth on stress.

METHODS: Late preterm infants from two neonatal care units were randomized to either SSC or standard care. Salivary cortisol was measured in response to a nappy change at one month, and again at four months in response to a still-face procedure.

RESULTS: Infants randomized to SSC had a significantly lower salivary cortisol reactivity at one month and there was a correlation between the mothers' and the preterm infants' salivary cortisol levels at four months.

CONCLUSIONS: The results show that close parental contact and human touch have a buffering effect on the infant's stress reactivity and stimulate a more rapid development of regularity.