A mother’s bond with her child has always been special. It is said that from the moment your baby is born, you have an almost miraculous connection with your child. A recent study published in the journal PLOS One recommends touching your baby for the first few weeks after birth, as it may help ease your infant’s stress during gestation as well as your own maternal depression.

At the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, FN was able to witness this firsthand. With Touch Therapy rooms donated by Johnson & Johnson, the hospital is able to teach curious new moms different techniques on how to use their hands to help their babies grow happy and healthy. Scroll through the gallery to learn those techniques for yourself:

(Illustrations by Sabrina Lajara)