In this short video, FIRST Legal Clinic Attorney Adam Ballout shares the decades of medical research showing why keeping mothers and newborns together immediately after birth leads to better health outcomes for both.
Drawing from an article in the Journal of Perinatal Education titled “Healthy Birth Practice #6: Keep Mother and Baby Together—It’s Best for Mother, Baby, and Breastfeeding,” Adam highlights how routine separation of healthy mothers and infants can have harmful effects on bonding, recovery, and long-term well-being.
“What mothers and babies need most after birth is each other, with unlimited opportunities for skin-to-skin care and breastfeeding. When healthcare professionals respect and support that need, they improve short- and long-term outcomes for both.”
— Jeanette Crenshaw, DNP, RN, IBCLC, FAAN
At FIRST Legal Clinic, we see the impact of this every day. Our work focuses on preventing unnecessary separations between mothers and infants in hospitals, especially when substance use or other challenges are involved. Through early legal advocacy, collaboration with healthcare providers, and models such as Eat, Sleep, Console, our team ensures that parents are supported, not punished, during the critical moments after birth.
Adam explains that decades of research, both in the U.S. and internationally, have confirmed the same truth: keeping mothers and babies together is safer, healthier, and more compassionate. The clinic’s work brings this evidence into real-world decisions so that hospitals, child welfare agencies, and families can make informed choices grounded in care, not fear.
Watch the full video below to hear Adam’s insights on the medical evidence supporting maternal-infant connection and how FIRST Legal Clinic applies these principles to keep families safely together.