Early Childhood Business Forum (ecBF)

21/04/2026

13/08/2025

03/04/2025

26/03/2025

Did you know neuroscience shows that Mom’s brain changes as she expects, births and nurtures her baby? (Link below.) How about Dad’s brain, or that of a foster mom or caretaker? BabyGym Institute International programme director Cozette Laubser has the facts:
https://www.mariettesnyman.co.za/blog/nurture-your-baby-nurture-your-brain?rq=babygym

19/03/2025

04/02/2025

New Study: 20 mins a day skin-to-skin for very preterm babies associated with 10 point increase in neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months.

The Study:

In the study of 181 babies born before 32 weeks' gestation...

> The average time families had immediate skin-to-skin was...

> Just 17 minutes a day.

> The average was: 2 days/week, 70 minutes/session.

But, if babies had 20-minute extra skin-to-skin per day...

> this was associated with a 10-point increase in neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months.

The study by Lazarus MF et al., was published in J Pediatr. 2024.
Link to study > https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39004169/

My Take-Home Message:

Skin-to-skin has many benefits:

- calming and relaxing the baby

- regulating heart rate, breathing and temperature

- enhancing bonding

- release of oxytocin and reducing stress

- beneficial for the baby's skin microbiome

- positive impact on brain development

- perfect for establishing breastfeeding

According to neuroscientist Dr Nils Bergman:

(featured in both our 2023 and 2024 conferences)

• Skin-to-skin contact is the only PLACE for a newborn, even if very small and sick

• Even very preterm neonates can safely suckle

• Early separation does have short term and life long consequences

If just 20 mins MORE skin-to-skin contact per day is associated with a 10-point increase in neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months for very preterm babies...

Do we need to rethink NICU care to enable all preterm babies have an extra 20 mins skin-to-skin per day?

What would it take for this to happen?

Love to know your thoughts.

P.S. Watch Dr Nils Bergman’s 2 conference presentations (from 2023 and 2024) on the importance of skin-to-skin for a baby's neurodevelopment — plus bonus Q&A on Vimeo
>>> https://vimeo.com/1053749700

24/01/2025

Amazing opportunity! Grab it!

04/11/2024