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This first hour after birth is the called the golden hour because conditions are perfect. Immediately following birth, mom has oxytocin flowing through her and so does baby which makes it so the baby is the most alert and awake for the first 1-2 hours after birth. The oxytocin promotes bonding, breastfeeding and even helps prevent postpartum hemorrhage.
During the first hour after birth it’s significantly important for the mother-baby bonding process to unfold. Which is super easy, it's keeping mom and baby together, chest to chest. If mom is healthy and nothing is significantly wrong with baby all vitals (temperature, heart rate, respirations, etc.) can be done while baby is on mom and routine newborn procedures can be pushed back to a less time sensitive moment. Just as it’s physically critical for babies to transition to using their lungs, it's psychologically critical for babies and moms to transition to their new life outside of the womb together.
Skin-to-skin is important on every level: physical, emotional, psychological, mental, spiritual, etc.
If your care provider can keep that golden hour sacred, allowing mom to cuddle the baby on her chest rather than removing the baby for tests, they can often establish a very good beginning to breastfeeding while the baby is alert and receptive.
If the baby is removed from mom after birth and then handed back to her swaddled simply un-swaddle the baby and put them on mom's chest.
There may be a lot of family members there eagerly waiting for the baby's arrival. But knowing how fundamental it is for mom and baby to bond communicate with any family that they will have to wait to hold the baby until a few hours after the birth. Manage their expectations before labor so you can protect those first hours after your baby is born.
If baby is having issues with any of the above (like temperature, breathing, heart rate, blood sugar levels, etc.) request to keep baby on mom for it to help regulate the issue.
If possible keep baby with mom for the first hour, but next best thing is with dad. If all went well the first hour and mom kept baby with her and was able to establish breastfeeding absolutely dad should still get an opportunity for skin-to-skin.
Babies can benefit from skin-to-skin care in the days, weeks, and even months following birth. In fact, it is often recommended that kangaroo care be practiced up to 3 months old for full-term babies and 6 months old for preemies.
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Education is KEY to setting yourself up for your best possible birth. Knowing your options and how to advocate for yourself makes a huge difference.
With the main reason people develop hemorrhoids is from pressure in the bottom, it seems unlikely many women will experience pregnancy and birth unscathed.