Immediate skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers offers a better start in life, improving a number of key health metrics, according to a newly-updated Cochrane review.

The review, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, found that babies who have skin-to-skin contact with their mother within the first hour of birth are more likely to see a variety of benefits, including exclusive breastfeeding, optimal body temperatures and blood sugar levels.

While possible benefits for the mother were also studied, such as effects on blood loss and timing of placental delivery, the evidence was less certain.