As a mother, nothing beats the joy of hearing your child’s first cry at birth. It’s that special moment when you realize that you’ve created life, and nothing can ever quite compare to that euphoric feeling. But did you know that it’s beneficial for newborn children to be in direct contact with their mothers right after delivery?

To bring to light the positive effects of cradling newborn children to their mother’s chest, the Western Pacific Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) introduces the First Embrace or ‘Unang Yakap’ advocacy.

This movement aims to educate expecting mothers about the benefits of having close contact with their children upon giving birth. According to the WHO website, the concept of ‘Unang Yakap’ has been introduced to 17 countries in total, with 75% of newborns now receiving immediate skin-to-skin contact with their mothers.

With help from hospitals, health professionals and development partners in the country, the WHO is hopeful that this mission will help strengthen the bonds between mothers and their children.

For more details on the ‘Unang Yakap’ advocacy, visit www.thefirstembrace.org.

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