You may have mastered the Lamaze breathing techniques and still feel anxious about the birth of your baby. Any parent, whether first-time or experienced, may find themselves worried for their child’s wellbeing once they are born. This is a normal emotion to have. To help lessen your uneasiness and help you focus more on the birthing process, here are some things that you can expect to happen immediately after your baby is born.
Clamping and Cutting the Cord
As you hear your baby’s cries, your doctor or midwife will clamp the umbilical cord in two places and cut between the two clasps. Traditionally, this process is done immediately after birth. But in recent years, doctors have recommended delaying cord clamping for at least 30 to 60 seconds. This allows extra blood to flow from the placenta to the baby, which may lower the risk of iron deficiency anemia in infancy.
Skin-to-Skin Contact
Since newborn babies haven’t developed the ability to control their body temperature yet, they need to be kept warm and dry. In a normal delivery, your baby will be placed directly onto your abdomen and dried off there. This initiates skin-to-skin contact, helps the baby stay warm, and allows mother and child to bond. Moreover, this early contact may reduce your baby’s crying and help you to breastfeed successfully.
In case you have a C-section delivery, your baby may be placed under heat lamps. Once your baby is swaddled, your partner may carry them while you’re being stitched up. Your baby may briefly stay in a nurseryyour partner can follow your childas you head to the recovery room. When you and your baby have both received the medical care you need, you two will be reunited and you’ll have the opportunity for skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding
Babies are on high alert the moment they are born, giving you a better chance to begin breastfeeding. Within the first hour or so, most babies will begin to nurse. If your baby has some trouble staying latched right after birth, this is normal as well. They may simply lick your nipple first. To stimulate your breastmilk production, you need to try initial feeding. Breastfeeding may also help your uterus to contract, helping to prevent excessive bleeding.
Apgar Assessment
In the first five minutes after giving birth, your doctor will evaluate your baby using the Apgar scoring method, where a point value between zero to two will be given to each of the following signs:
- Activity The physical movement of your baby
- Pulse Your baby’s heart rate will be observed.
- Grimace This can be assessed through the responsiveness of your child’s reflexes to stimulation. For example, how did he respond when his airways were being suctioned?
- Appearance The coloring of an infant’s body. If it is closer to pink, this indicates his blood has oxygenated.
- Respiration Doctors or nurses will observe if he is breathing properly. In some cases, your physician may need to suction fluids in your baby’s mouth and nose or deliver oxygen to help them breathe better.
A total score ranging from seven to 10 means your baby is in good health and won’t require additional assistance. If your baby receives a score below seven, they may need after hours pediatric urgent care or to stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). However, you shouldn’t be alarmed if your baby has a low score. The Apgar test doesn’t predict the baby’s future health. It is only used to determine your child’s current well-being.
Physical Exam
A more detailed physical evaluation will follow to observe how your baby’s health is doing. They will measure your baby’s vital signs like their temperature, weight, length, and head circumference. Doctors will then use these measurements and match them with the number of weeks of your pregnancy. If your child is small, underweight, or too large, they may need special care. Also, this is the ideal time to check if an infant has any birth injuries or issues.
After they go out of the delivery room, your baby will continue to receive daily exams, including a complete pediatric exam that will be performed within 24 hours after birth. Doctors perform this test to look for developmental, genetic, and metabolic disorders. They will also undergo screening for hearing loss and critical congenital heart disease (CCHD).
If the mother has a history of substance abuse during her pregnancy, the child may be observed for signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). This is an illness that occurs when babies are exposed to harmful drugs while in their mother’s womb. Once they are born, infants no longer get access to the drugs and they may experience withdrawal symptoms such as trembling, vomiting, or seizures. NAS may develop when pregnant women use drugs, smoke, or drink alcohol. To avoid health risks for both mother and child, it is recommended for the expectant mother to seek immediate help from the best Tampa drug rehab center or similar facilities that offer prenatal care and substance use disorder treatment.
Other Afterbirth Care
After birth, your baby will receive antibiotic or antiseptic eye drops or ointment to prevent eye infection. These infections are often caused by bacteria in the birth canal. In addition, a vitamin K injection will be given to your newborn. This will help their blood clot normally and protect them from a dangerous bleeding disorder. Before leaving the delivery suite, both you and your baby will get identification bracelets with matching numbers. Most of the time, babies wear two bracelets: one is placed on their wrist and one on their ankle. These bands are often checked and matched every time you and your baby separate or reunite. In addition, your baby’s footprints will be taken. Usually, two copies are made, one for hospital records and another as your keepsake. To maintain a safe and healthy home for your newborn, you need to choose quality childcare
Anticipating the birth of your baby can be an exciting time that is also filled with worry. You may find it a little difficult to relax as you head to the delivery room with your partner. This is why it’s good to be mentally prepared for what is ahead by learning as much as you can. Don’t hesitate to ask your physician for more information or inquiring about the hospital’s general rules and processes. Knowing what to expect after birth may give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on your new bundle of joy.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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