Golden Hour: What to Expect During Baby's First Hour after Birth

What is the Golden Hour, and why is it important? 

The Golden Hour refers to the first 60 minutes after birth where the baby is held skin-to-skin with mom (or other support person) for at least one full, uninterrupted hour.  During this time, non-urgent assessments and procedures are delayed to encourage bonding and early initiation of breastfeeding. 

Practicing the Golden Hour offers baby a gentle transition to life outside the womb and allows for delayed cord clamping. Skin-to-skin contact during (and after) the first hour has been shown to improve newborn temperature, blood sugar, and respiratory regulation and boost bonding while decreasing stress hormones and increasing breastfeeding rates and duration. After the placenta is removed, a hormone shift stimulates your body to make breast milk, and holding your baby further encourages that milk production. While the Golden Hour is often associated with the initiation of breastfeeding, having uninterrupted time to relax and bond during the first one to two hours after birth offers many benefits to mothers and babies, whether you plan to breastfeed or not.

What should I expect during the Golden Hour?

After long-awaiting your baby’s arrival during your pregnancy and delivery, you will finally be able to see your baby face-to-face as he or she is placed on your chest immediately after birth. The baby will be dried and covered in a warm blanket while your providers observe and care for both of you. Hospitals tend to vary in their policies regarding skin-to-skin in the operating room if you have a C-section, but if you wish to hold your baby immediately after birth, most care teams will do their best to accommodate this while maintaining safety for you and baby. During the first 60 minutes, babies begin exhibiting reflexes, often referred to as the newborn crawl, that allow them to naturally move towards the breast and latch on by themselves to initiate the first breastfeed. As long as you and baby are both medically stable, you can enjoy this special time together. There is no need to rush to procedures such as weighing, measuring, or giving injections, and most initial assessments can be performed while your baby is on your chest.

What if the Golden Hour has to be delayed?

There are some situations that may require delaying the Golden Hour. Some examples might include an infant that needs additional breathing support, or a mother with recent opioid medication administration, causing increased sleepiness. Various planned or unplanned scenarios may arise. In these cases, having a partner or other support person hold the baby skin-to-skin is still beneficial to baby, and can be a bonding experience for both of them. If you are separated from your baby for an extended period of time and plan to breastfeed, it is important to initiate pumping and/or hand expressing as soon as you are able to do so.  

In any case, having a birth plan that you share with your partner and your providers ahead of time can be helpful, and your desires for the Golden Hour should be included in that plan. Understanding your options is the first step.  Every hospital has different policies and procedures, so you may need to advocate for yourself.

The Golden Hour is a beautiful period of time that offers many physical and emotional benefits as babies begin to acclimate to life outside the womb. Bonding and attachment are fostered while the baby's physiological stability is promoted, and an uninterrupted first hour allows babies to go through the stages of initiating the first feeding.  Use this time as well as the next few hours to rest, bond as a family, and focus on your initial recovery from birth while you learn to feed your new baby!

Are You Looking to Prepare for Bottle and Breastfeeding?

With so much advice available, it can be difficult to sift through and find straightforward education on bottle and breastfeeding to prepare for your baby's arrival. My Mastering Bottle and Breastfeeding course focuses on helping take you from overwhelmed and confused to prepared and confident about feeding your baby. You can find out more about the course here.

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