7 Reasons To Have An Undisturbed First Hour After Birth

The time we spend with our newborns when they are fresh out of the womb is extremely important.

Experts urge that mums should have an undisturbed hour with their babies straight after birth, wherever possible.

Routine procedures carried out in some hospitals like measuring, cleaning and weighing mean that many babies miss out on this important bonding time with their mums straight after they are born, and there can be short term and long term consequences for both mum and bub.

Many of these procedures performed straight after birth aren’t really necessary for health and welfare of mum and baby can actually be delayed. It’s more desirable for mum to be able to focus on breastfeeding bub for the first time and to have that time for mother and baby bonding. Of course, if there is a need for medical assistance, this might not be necessary, but wherever possible, experts believe doctors and hospitals should let mum have baby alone with mum for that first hour.

The most desirable outcome that’s recommended is for baby to be immediately placed down on the mother’s stomach straight after delivery. A warm blanket should be placed over them, which slows the production of adrenaline hormones and won’t interfere with the essential breastfeeding and bonding hormones oxytocin and prolactin. They need a quiet and calm environment and should be left undisturbed for the first hour.

There are seven really important reasons why this first hour should be undisturbed.

1. For baby-led breastfeeding

Hospital staff usually want baby to start breastfeeding within the first hour. It’s not only beneficial for mother-baby bonding, it helps the placenta to be expelled more quickly and easily and it also reduces the risk of postpartum haemorrhage.

When babies who haven’t had exposure to medications are placed on their mothers and left undisturbed, they will instinctively crawl towards mum’s breast and attach themselves to her nipple – which is known as the “breast crawl”.

2. Regulation of Baby’s Body Systems

Babies who spend time with their mothers skin-to-skin in the first hour after birth are able to better regulate their respiration and temperature. Newborns have spent nine months inside a perfectly temperature-controlled environment, and aren’t able to adjust their temperature as well as older kids and adults because they don’t have the same levels of insulating fat. If a newborn loses too much heat, it will need to use more oxygen and energy than it can spare.

The risk of hypoglycemia – low blood sugar levels – is also reduced. Babies produce glucose from their body’s energy stores until they are breastfeeding well, and they are most likely to do this when they are skin-to-skin with mum.

3. Promotion of Delayed Cord Clamping

Babies can still receive oxygen through the placenta as they adjust to breathing through their lungs if the umbilical cord is left intact while still pulsating. Skin-to-skin contact with mum helps the newborn stabilise its respiration which means that the cord will remain intact for longer, which allows a greater chance of receiving vital red blood cells to reduce iron deficiency risk.

For mums who have a c-section, there is sometimes a possibility of delayed cord clamping, but not always. You should speak to your doctor to see if it will be possible.

4. Promotion of mother and baby attachment

Mum and baby get to know each other after birth best through prolonged skin-to-skin contact. Mum is more likely to feel confident in meeting her baby’s needs. While mums are hard-wired to look after their young, the oxytocin receptors in her brain increase during pregnancy so she becomes more responsive to it. Breastfeeding and holding babies close skin-to-skin produces oxytocin in large amounts.

5. Better Chance of Breastfeeding Success

Babies who have early skin-to-skin contact are much more likely to be successful at breastfeeding for longer. If a newborn is able to self-latch, they often have a better chance of proper tongue positioning when latching.

6. Protection from Effects of Separation

Newborns who haven’t been exposed to lots of medication are often very alert and will gaze at their mother’s face, recognise her smell, the sound of her voice and the touch of her skin. They have a mammal’s primal instinct to stay in their mother’s safe habitat where it is warm, safe and nourishing. When separated from mum, babies will protest loudly and draw her attention to their state of distress. If they aren’t reunited with mum after protesting, they go into a state of despair and become quiet and still – partly as a survival instinct to avoid attracting the attention of predators, and partly because their body system slows down to preserve heat and energy.

7. Natural Immunity Boost for Baby

At birth, babies emerge from an environment that’s almost 100% sterile. On the way out, they are seeded by their mother’s bacteria, which kick-starts their immune sytems and helps their bodies fight infections. It can even help them to be protected from diseases in the future.

Researchers have found babies who haven’t been exposed to their mum’s bacteria, either because they weren’t delivered vaginally, didn’t breastfeed or didn’t have skin-to-skin contact with mum, often have immune systems that haven’t reached their full potential.

If you want to plan an undisturbed first hour after birth, make sure you talk to your caregivers and let them know how important it is for you. Request that you have an optimal birth environment where it’s warm, dimly lit, quiet and private. This will boost the right hormones for a natural birth and decrease the need for interventions. Make sure your caregivers also understand that you want to have the umbilical cord intact until it is no longer pulsating.