Why is the golden hour after birth important?

Nine months of anticipation, hours of labour. And then the moment when time stands still.

While it may seem like the world stops spinning when bub is finally earthside, the truth is that first hour slips by so very quickly. Known as the Golden Hour, the first 60 minutes after a baby is born is an incredibly important time for both mum and bub. As the magical first minute’s tick by, amazing things happen in a woman’s body while fascinating benefits for baby are set in motion.

Here are five things that happen during babies first hour.

1. Helps regulate baby’s body temperature

Back in the day the first priority for newborns was being cleaned, weighed and checked. But the profound benefits of skin-to-skin have now been proven, so long as bub is breathing well and healthy it happens immediately. This primal contact releases hormones that help mum and baby bond and connect.

Newborns can’t regulate their own body temperature, but being skin-to-skin with mum helps them retain heat. If that’s not amazing enough, it also helps reduce the risk of low blood sugar in a fresh babe.

2. Promotes a strong breastfeeding relationship

After skin-to-skin contact, it’s likely that your new bub will start looking for their first breastfeed. This moment is hugely important because the hormones released while feeding help mum’s uterus start to contract and stop bleeding.

Research has shown that breastfeeding within that first Golden Hour after birth improves baby survival rates and it’s also more likely mum will continue to breastfeed.

3. Boosts bub’s immunity

When baby arrives from the safety of the womb, there’s a whole world of germs waiting. During a vaginal birth they are ‘seeded’ by their mum’s bacteria which trains their cells to know which bacteria are good and bad. It’s like a kickstart for baby’s immune system.

Research has shown that if bubs don’t get the chance to be exposed to mum’s bacteria (through vaginal birth, skin-to-skin contact or breastfeeding) their immune system might not reach its full potential. That’s why skin-to-skin contact in the Golden Hour is so important after a c-section.

4. Promotes attachment

The urge to hold our babies straight after birth is strong. After so many months waiting and dreaming, we finally get to look, smell and touch our little ones. It’s a natural instinct, and there’s a really good reason for it. Research has shown that mums who have skin-to-skin contact after birth are more likely to feel confident and comfortable as mums.

This attachment is instinctive. The oxytocin receptors in our brains increase while we’re pregnant so that when our baby is born we’re more responsive to the hormone, which in turn promotes maternal behaviour. And that hormone is produced when we’re holding our babies and during breastfeeding. Isn’t science brilliant?!

Even more incredible – mums who had early skin-to-skin with their babies are more likely to keep a strong bond with their child as they grow.

5. Baby cries less

While we’re all desperate to hear that first, lung-stretching cry from our baby, our next instinct is to soothe and calm our child. Studies have shown that babies who are given immediate skin-to-skin contact cry less than those who were separated.

The research has also found that newborns are very aware of being physically separated from their mums, with their cries described as ‘separation distress calls’.

If you’re getting your birth plan together, it may be worth discussing the important first hour after birth, so you can soak up your new bub and get all of these benefits.

(Sources: Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group study, Department of Paediatrics and Neonatology study, Healthy Birth Practice study)

The first few minutes after birth are a magical time for bonding with baby.

After nine months of waiting, a new mother gets her first chance to hold her baby in her arms, counting tiny fingers and toes, and gazing into the eyes of her newborn.

Research has shown that what happens during the first 60 minutes of a baby’s life can maximize the bonding between mother and child. That uninterrupted contact between mother and baby during the “golden hour” is critical to the child’s growth and development.

A new view

In the past, bonding with baby often took a back seat to medical procedures. New moms watched their babies being handed to a nurse for examination, cleaning and other details. After all the waiting, the new parents would finally get to hold their baby.

Health care providers now know that immediate skin-to-skin contact is the best way for a newborn and mother to bond. The sooner after birth this can happen, the better experience the family will have.

In fact, the American Association of Pediatricians now recommends the following guidelines:

• Healthy newborns should be placed in “skin-to-skin” contact with the mother until the first round of breastfeeding is established.
• The medical caregivers can conduct the first physical assessment of the baby while it is on the mother’s chest.
• Conventional procedures such as weighing, measuring, bathing, injections or blood test should wait until after the first feeding.
• Baby and mother should remain together throughout the recovery period.

Many hospitals and birthing centers now encourage parents to wait at least an hour before introducing baby to family and friends. Instead, they encourage mother and baby to stay together and, if desired, focus on giving the newborn a chance to breastfeed.

Finding a way to bond

Even in cases where medical emergencies may change a family’s birth plan, it is possible to take advantage of bonding time in the first few minutes. If a baby needs medical attention or extra stimulation to start breathing, the child can be moved from the exam table to the mother’s chest as soon as the baby is stabilized.

Women who have a planned or unplanned cesarean section may need to wait a few moments to be able to hold the baby. In most cases, after a quick assessment, nurses can move the baby to the mother’s chest. The baby can stay at her mother’s side until she is settled into the recovery room and ready to nurse.

Benefits for mom and baby

During labor and the minutes and hours afterward, the mother’s body experiences several amazing changes. Giving birth generates changes in a woman’s brain chemistry that increases desire to nurture.

Skin-to-skin contact and the baby’s suckling at the breast release hormones. This helps the mother connect to her child and causes the uterus to contract and stop bleeding. Research has shown that nursing within the first hour of life improves infant survival rates. Mothers who do this are also more likely to breastfeed longer.

Most hospitals and birthing centers encourage breastfeeding for the benefits to both mom and baby. Babies who breastfeed have lower rates of ear infections, asthma, diabetes, childhood leukemia and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Mothers who nurse their babies have lower rates of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and diabetes.

Expectant moms should talk with family members and medical staff about their plans for the minutes after birth. Every mother and baby should have a chance to experience their “golden hour.”

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Posted In Children's, Pregnancy, Women's