GOLDEN HOUR AFTER BIRTH
Ever thought why soon after birth the baby is whisked off to a stranger, only to be bathed, cleaned and swaddled? And ever wondered how exposed the baby would feel emotionally, in a completely unfamiliar environment, when they are suddenly expected to adapt & adjust to the harsh lighting of the labour room, right after the dark & cosy womb?
Isn’t it biologically imperative that your baby is supported by you during this transition? Wouldn’t the baby feel more comfortable with a direct skin-to-skin contact with them on your chest, at least for the first one hour, after birth?
Well, if yes; let us also tell you that in-between these magical sixty minutes referred to as the “Golden Hour”, you form the purest bond with your little one!
Benefits of Golden Hour;
Eases the transition into the outside world for your baby, as your skin, touch and smell are the closest to the environment of the womb.
Being on your chest helps your baby’s bodily systems to regulate better, including blood glucose levels.
The right hormones are released in both your and your baby’s body. Your body releases Oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone”, which is what makes you fall in love with your baby at first sight. It also releases Prolactin, which helps the breasts to release milk after birth.
It leads to delayed cord clamping. Yes, the umbilical cord linked to your baby and to the placenta is still full of nutrient-rich blood and if not cut off immediately there’s extra time for the blood in the cord to flow over through your baby. This, as a result, has many positive outcomes in the growth and development of the baby; it increases the level of haemoglobin at birth and also improves the iron storage of your little one for the first several months of infancy.
Your skin-to-skin contact helps the 3rd and final phase of pregnancy, the expulsion of the placenta from your body, reducing the risk of postpartum haemorrhage.
When your little one is on your chest, they get exposed to your microbiome. This helps in building your baby’s immunity.
Your baby begins the “breast crawl”; a natural instinct to crawl toward the mother’s breast, latch on and kick start the breastfeeding process, by ingesting colostrum - the first milk that your breasts make.
Takeaway
So, as long as you and your baby are well and there is no need for any medical interventions, you should be left alone to reinforce your special bond during the “Golden Hour”. Spend this time with dim lights on, murmuring to your baby (because he/she does recognise your voice) and delay all hospital procedures and visitors. It’s the one hour that forms the beginning of a beautiful, lifelong relationship - make sure you and your baby are left alone to cherish it.
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