Objective To observe the effect of father's participation in early maternal skin to skin contact (SSC) on primiparas' neonatal stress response and vital signs, so as to provide experimental basis for further optimizing the clinical implementation of “early essential newborn care (EENC)” technology. Methods The random number table was used to select 1 986 primiparas with their newborns who gave birth in Shenzhen Futian District Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital from February 2017 to may 2021. Among them, 638 newborns (co-participation group) implemented early SSC with father participation, 467 newborns (SSC group) implemented early maternal and infant SSC, 881 newborns (control group) were treated with routine neonatal treatment. To observe the differences of salivary cortisol level, mean body temperature, incidence of hypothermia, heart rate and crying time among the newborns of three groups and to explore the feasibility of early mother and infant SSC with father participation in clinical implementation. Results ①There were significant differences in newborn salivary cortisol levels between any two groups at 30 min, 60 min, 90 min and 180 min after birth (all P<0.01). At 120 min after birth, there were significant differences between the co-participation group and the control group, SSC group and the control group (all P<0.01). ②At 30 min and 60 min after birth, there were significant differences in body temperature and the incidence of hypothermia between the co-participation group and the control group, SSC group and the control group (all P<0.01). At 90 min after birth, there were significant differences in body temperature between any two groups (all P<0.01). There were significant differences in the incidence of hypothermia between the co-participation group and the control group, SSC group and the control group (all P<0.01). There were significant differences in body temperature and the incidence of hypothermia between any two groups at 120 min and 180 min (all P<0.01). ③At 30 min, 60 min and 90 min after birth, there were significant differences in heart rate between the co-participation group and the control group, SSC group and the control group (all P<0.01). At 120 min and 180 min after birth, there were significant differences between any two groups (all P<0.01). ④There were significant differences in the crying time of newborns in the three groups at 0-30 min, 30-60 min and 60-90 min, between the co-participation group and the control group, and between the SSC group and control group (all P<0.01). There were significant differences in crying time between any two groups at 90-120 min and 120-180 min after birth (all P<0.01). Conclusions Early maternal and infant SSC and early maternal and infant SSC participated by father could reduce the salivary cortisol level of primipara newborn, maintain constant body temperature and heart rate,also reduce the incidence of hypothermia and crying time. In comparison, the early maternal and infant SSC with father participation was a more scientific and conducive nursing model to reduce neonatal stress response and maintain their vital signs.