Skin to skin contact
After birth, your baby may be placed on your bare chest. This is called skin-to-skin contact. It helps your baby adjust, supports bonding and can help feeding get started.
If you and your baby are well, skin-to-skin contact is recommended for at least the first hour after birth, no matter how you plan to feed your baby.
If you are unable, prefer not to or are planning for someone else (such as your support person or intended parents) to have skin-to-skin contact straight away, your maternity care provider can help to facilitate this.
Skin-to-skin contact can help:
- keep your baby warm and calm
- support bonding and attachment
- encourage feeding and early communication
- help parents and support people feel connected and confident in caring for their baby.
Your maternity care team can facilitate skin-to-skin contact with your baby in a way that is right for you.
Learn more
Skin-to-skin contact | Australian Breastfeeding Association
After your baby is born: dads & non-birthing parents | Raising Children Network
Staying safe in the first hours after birth
It is normal to feel very tired after giving birth. If you are feeling tired after birth or have medication that can makes you drowsy, it is safest for your baby to sleep in their own personal safe sleep space such as a cot or bassinet.
If you are holding your baby, having another adult nearby can help keep you both safe.
When holding your baby:
- keep your baby upright on your chest
- turn your baby’s head to one side
- make sure your baby’s face is visible
- keep your baby’s nose and mouth clear
- keep your baby warm, with their face and head uncovered
- if using a blanket, keep it below your baby’s shoulders.
Learn more
Security and safety at hospital | Better Health Channel
What to expect if I have my baby in hospital | Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
APGAR score
Shortly after birth, your maternity care provider will assess how your baby is transitioning to the outside world. This usually includes a brief check known as the APGAR score, which looks at your baby’s breathing, heart rate, muscle tone and colour at 1 and 5 minutes.
In most cases, this assessment occurs while your baby remains with you, perhaps even without you realising it’s being done. This allows skin-to-skin contact to start as soon as possible and helps to keep it uninterrupted.
If there is a concern about the APGAR score, your maternity care provider will keep you informed about what this means.
Learn more
Apgar score | Pregnancy, Birth and Baby
Cutting the umbilical cord
Your maternity care provider may offer you, your support person the opportunity to cut the baby’s umbilical cord. A baby’s umbilical cord is ready to be cut once it stops pulsating.
This is entirely your choice. For some families, cutting the umbilical cord is a special part of their baby’s birth. Some people choose not to cut the cord themselves.
If you decide to do it, your maternity care provider will guide you through the process. It’s important to cut where they indicate, generally between two clamps.
Cutting the cord does not hurt your baby. There are no nerve endings within the umbilical cord and your care team will make sure it is done safely.