creating space for connection with your newborn
i recently wrote an article for the clumsy explorer magazine about the golden hour after birth.
so what is the golden hour?
it's important to have an understanding of the needs of both mother & baby after birth, so that there is space created for connection without pressure to rush. within my antenatal classes i describe the golden hour as an extension of the birth itself. the transition for mother and baby at this time is so sensitive, and should be treated with great care.
those precious first hours after birth are like no other, there is a quiet acknowledgment between those present that something truly magical has just happened.
allowing these moments to unfold slowly, eyes finding one another, fingers exploring the delicate skin as yet untouched, the mother finding her voice as she reassures her baby with soft tones which until now, have not quite left her breath. there is a hormonal surge during labour & birth, but also in the hours after, both for mother and for baby too. if not handled gently, this can feel quite unsettling and, at worst, have real implications for the mental health of the mother & the development of baby.
the moment baby is born the birthing woman will be dripping with oxytocin, her body releases the highest dose of this beautiful hormone in the minutes after giving birth and levels reach their peak around 30 minutes after. oxytocin is known as the hormone of love, and it's there to help us build a loving connection with our baby, and also to establish breastfeeding, birth the placenta and prevent postpartum haemorrhaging. oxytocin is naturally secreted when we feel warm, safe, secure, loved, & when we feel a tender touch, so we can understand why skin to skin contact and a calm birth environment are so important to help this beautiful hormone reach its peak.
another key hormone which is important to be mindful of at this time is prolactin. our bodies secrete this natural chemical to stimulate our milk production reflex. it’s often referred to as the mothering hormone since it also helps to support a mother’s maternal instincts & help her transition gently into motherhood. prolactin is produced by our baby too, it coats their lungs & stimulates their system to breathe independently for the first time. prolactin secretion is boosted when the birthing woman does not experience stress, so again, keeping her & her environment as calm and undisturbed as possible will actively help to establish breastfeeding and ensure the mother & baby bond is nurtured from the start.
skin to skin contact is a simple, yet beautiful way that you can help your body to secrete these amazing hormones. eye contact, touch, warmth & even the microbiome of your skin will help to stimulate and regulate your baby’s heartbeat, and will acclimatise their body temperature, which is now experiencing sensations of warm & cool for the very first time. laying your baby bare skinned upon your chest under a warm blanket, will help them to feel safe & secure and actually makes a direct connection with the automatic nervous system of your baby, creating connections for emotional pathways and generating the building blocks for their body’s own self-regulation. close contact with you helps them to find their internal balance points to regulate their own heart rate, blood pressure & glucose levels. it’s amazing that by sharing skin contact with your baby you actively help them to manage the stress responses within their brain, and this carries with them through life.
whilst your baby is held within your womb, all of their needs are communicated to you body via the umbilical cord & placenta, and this continues after birth until you either birth the placenta or clamp the umbilical cord. your bodies carrying on speaking & responding to each other, you remain as their source of oxygen & nutrients whilst the cord pulsates and they transition to life outside of the womb. by waiting to clamp the umbilical cord until it has stopped pulsating, you help your baby to receive their placental blood, which greatly benefits their blood volume, birth weight & iron levels, and by not rushing to clamp and cut the cord, you also create a natural breathing space within the immediate time after birth, where both mother and baby benefit emotionally & physically by experiencing a gentle transition.
your birth partner can be a huge support during this time to help create the space for the golden hour, and they can enjoy some skin to skin time with baby too. whilst you take that first, soothing, warm shower, your baby can continue to experience the benefits of close skin contact with them, and your birth partner gets a wonderful hit of oxytocin too! in males who experience skin to skin contact with their newborn, testosterone levels have been shown to decrease, whilst oxytocin increases. effectively, dad is being re-wired to respond with affection and empathy to their baby’s needs. bonding is heightened and confidence gained for their own parenting instincts.
so, talk together about your hopes for these first few hours. make sure your birth partner knows what feels important to you, so that they are able to tell the midwife team who will be caring for you on your birthing day. if they understand the benefits of the golden hour, they will be in a much better place to help make this happen.
what if i have a caesarean birth?
if you are planning for a caesarean birth, you can certainly talk through your intentions for the time after your baby is born to understand what is possible, and make a plan which works for your preferences. lower lighting at birth and music are usually able to be accommodated, and remember that if you are unable to enjoy immediate skin to skin contact with your baby, then your birth partner certainly can, until such a time that you are comfortable to hold your baby.
what if my baby needs special care after birth?
firstly, do not worry that your baby will loose out by not receiving immediate skin contact with you. the benefits of skin to skin can be explored at any time, and on-going through your parenting journey. comfort holding and “kangaroo care “are quite widely supported in neo-natal centres. when your baby is ready, you will be able to give them the experience of your loving touch with a gentle cradle hold and supported skin to skin contact. www.bliss.org is a fantastic resource for more information should you need it.
how can you make the golden hour happen for you?
explore your intentions for the first few hours after your birth - how would you like those moments to feel? what would help you to make those feelings a reality?
write your wishes into your birth preferences, set a reference point for your care team & discuss with them beforehand so that they know what is important to you after your birth.
include your birth partner. if they understand the benefits for all of you, they will be in a much better place to help make this happen.
keep your birth bubble going - don't switch on all the lights and call everyone into the room the moment baby is earthside! you can ask that checks and measurements be delayed for at least a few hours when you are both settled.
understand the benefits of optimal cord clamping, by waiting for the cord to stop pulsating, you will naturally slow down the time after baby is born.
skin to skin for the win! the simple act of holding your baby in close contact will help them to feel safe & secure and ignite your mothering instincts, setting a foundation of connection for your relationship together.
the golden hour is a beautiful way to begin the new phase of life with your baby in a gentle, calm and connected way.
if you would like to download a copy of the issue with my article about the golden hour, click here!
emma xx
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