Key things to include in your birth plan: Immediately after birth
Bringing a new life into the world is a miraculous event, but it also comes with a plethora of decisions so you need to start thinking about your birth plan and writing down your preferences (here is our free birth preferences template). As a new parent, it's crucial to be informed and advocate for practices that you believe are right for you and your baby - this is something we teach in hypnobirthing. From the gentle touch of skin-to-skin contact to the timing of the umbilical cord clamping, there are several key factors to consider immediately after birth. It’s important to consider these things now so you’re not having to make decisions right after birth so you can enjoy your precious moments together in the ‘golden hour’.
What is the golden hour
One of the most magical and important moments right after birth is the golden hour. The focus during the golden hour is to ensure that your baby spends uninterrupted time with you.
The key elements of the golden hour are:
Immediate skin-to-skin
Bonding between birthing person and baby
Delayed cord clamping
Delivery of the placenta
Control of blood loss
Establishing breastfeeding
The golden hour is not just about immediate health benefits; it sets the stage for ongoing physical and emotional bonding. As you prepare for your baby's arrival, consider speaking to your healthcare provider about ensuring that you can fully experience this precious time. Advocate for policies that support uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding right after birth, as these practices can have lasting positive effects on both you and your baby.
Things to consider in your birth preferences:
1. Immediate skin to skin
We are strong believers in the importance of skin-to-skin after birth. This means placing the baby on the birthing person's chest and leaving them to enjoy uninterrupted skin-to-skin time if all is well and nobody requires immediate attention. Ideally this will happen for the first hour after birth because it offers so many recognised benefits for both parties.
Immediately after birth, placing your baby on your bare chest helps to regulate their body temperature, heart rate, and breathing. This closeness also stimulates the release of oxytocin, often referred to as the "love hormone," which can alleviate stress for both you and baby.
Advocate for this practice by speaking with your healthcare provider and including it in your birth plan. Whether you deliver vaginally or via caesarean, skin-to-skin contact can often be accommodated as part of your birthing process. If all is well, there is no need for baby to be weighed, cleaned or assessed within the first hour after birth.
2. Delayed cord clamping
When it comes to your newborn's arrival, one practice gaining notable attention is delayed cord clamping. It involves waiting for at least 3 minutes after birth before clamping and cutting the umbilical cord. The purpose of delayed cord clamping is to allow the placenta to pump all the baby’s blood back down the cord to the baby. NHS midwife Sarah wrote a great blog on the benefits of delayed cord clamping here.
Understanding these benefits can empower you to advocate for this practice during your birth plan discussions.
3. Vernix caseosa
Vernix caseosa is the white, waxy substance that coats your baby's skin while they are in the womb. It is believed to play a crucial role in protecting your newborn as it has a host of benefits for your baby's delicate skin. It's packed with antimicrobial properties that can help protect against infections and acts as a natural moisturiser, preventing your baby's skin from drying out. This can be a crucial factor in keeping your little one comfortable and maintaining healthy skin. Additionally, it helps regulate their body temperature, ensuring they stay warm and cosy right from the start. So, when advocating for your newborn's care, if keeping the vernix caseosa on your baby is something you wish to do, you can request that the care team don’t wash your baby so the vernix can do its job.
4. Vitamin K injection
In the UK, you’ll be offered an injection of Vitamin K for your baby. This helps prevent a rare bleeding disorder called haemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Ensuring your baby receives this injection can be a pivotal step in safeguarding their health right from the start. Your midwife will likely have discussed this with you in your antenatal appointments, if you'd prefer for your baby not to have an injection, they can have vitamin K by mouth instead, but they'll need further doses.
5. The newborn hat
Deciding whether to put a hat on your newborn can be more complex than it seems. Traditionally, when babies were first born, it was almost a ritual for a hat to be placed on their head as it was believed this helped keep baby warm and prevented a loss of heat through the head. But there is no research to suggest this is true, in fact, this study found that placing a hat on a full-term newborn’s head had no benefits for regulating their temperature. So some parents choose to forego the hat as newborns regulate their temperature through their heads. By leaving the hat off allows their tiny bodies to balance this process naturally. By keeping the head uncovered, you could be helping your baby adapt to the external environment better.
We hope this list provides you with some helpful information to help complete your birth preferences. If you’re interested in learning more about what happens immediately after birth, or during birth, check out our Hypnobirthing Pack - filled with useful information to help you prepare for your birth and the first few precious moments with your baby. Our Hypnobirthing Pack even includes a sample of a birth preferences template for you to be guided by.
