'Amazing' photo of boy cuddling premature sibling sparks interest in skin to skin practice

"It helps the baby to breathe better"

The endearing image has been shared more than 20,000 times on Facebook and garnered 29,000 likes. (Facebook: NINO Birth)

A photograph of a little boy giving his premature baby sibling skin to skin care has gone viral.

The image shows the youngster and his father each holding one of a pair of new-born twin babies on their bare stomachs, carrying out skin to skin practice - also known as 'kangaroo care' - which is said to aid recovery.

The endearing image, taken in Denmark, in which the little boy emulates his father carry out the practice for his twin siblings by holding one of them on his bare stomach, has been shared more than 20,000 times on Facebook and garnered 29,000 likes.

It was posted by NINO Birth, an organisation based in South Africa that offers basic information on “what birth should look like”, and promotes skin to skin contact after a baby is born.

The practice consists of very small premature babies being taken out of the incubator to be skin to skin with their parents.

On the caption accompanying the photograph, NINO Birth wrote: “The parent's chest regulates the temperature better than an incubator. Skin to skin contact helps the baby to breathe better. The child becomes more calm and gains weight faster."

“Research shows that parents bacterial flora - compared with hospital bacteria - reduces the risk of serious infections in these delicate children.”

The photograph has gained considerable attention from parents across the globe taking interest in the practice.

Jaylene Fultz wrote: “This should've never stopped from years ago. People stopped breastfeeding so that meant skin-to-skin stopped. All hospitals should bring this back.”

Tamara Tammy, a mother, wrote: “My son was born in the 28th week [of pregnancy]. We spent two months in the hospiral having skin to skin contact. It’s so wonderful. It regulates the baby’s temperature and also baby is learning how to breath listening your breathing and lying on the chest.”

Some Internet users expressed diappointment that not all countries encourage the practice in maternity wards.

Shelly Ferguson, who gave birth in Australia, said: "This is amazing. My baby was prem and born at four pounds seven ounces and I wasn't allowed to hold him most of the time. I was only ever offered skin to skin twice and he was in care for 26 days.

"I wasn't allowed to stay with him. [It was the] most stressful time of my life but baby is okay and healthy. It's a shame Australia isn't on board with this."