Preparing for the Golden Hour After Birth

Content medically reviewed by Valine Gondringer, RN, BSN

The hour after delivery, referred to as the Golden Hour, gives you the first glimpse of your baby as you welcome them to the world. During this time, non-urgent activities are delayed while you experience skin-to-skin contact with your newborn. Lasting at least an hour or until after the first breastfeeding session, this period of early contact can help you and your child feel calm and supported and offers many health benefits.

Bonding, Breastfeeding, & Other Benefits

Skin-to-skin contact during the Golden Hour offers a unique opportunity to bond with your baby. Newborns can see about 2 feet away from them. When lying on your chest, they’ll be in the optimal position to see and study your face. Your baby will also recognize your voice when you talk to them during these first moments. 

This time together can also –

• Boost the baby’s brain development
• Calm the baby and you
• Help control your bleeding and return the uterus to its pre-pregnancy size
• Improve the baby’s immune function
• Increase confidence in parenting ability
• Lower the risk of postpartum depression
• Stabilize the baby’s blood pressure, blood sugar, breathing rate, heart rate, and temperature

Other health benefits include boosting appetite and weight gain in infants born preterm, who often have a low birth weight.

Skin-to-skin contact during the Golden Hour also helps initiate breastfeeding, if that is part of your birth plan, and improves milk production.

“If breastfeeding doesn't go as planned, we have a lot of breastfeeding tips to assist with starting the baby on their journey,” said Valine Gondringer, lactation coordinator and childbirth educator at Essentia Health. “The first feeding isn't the only indicator of how well breastfeeding will go.”

What to Expect During the Golden Hour After Birth

Close contact with your baby during the Golden Hour is possible with either a vaginal or cesarean (C-section) birth. After delivery, a nurse will dry your baby and place them skin-to-skin on your chest. A blanket will cover the baby’s body and your chest.

“We encourage skin-to-skin contact during the Golden Hour regardless of delivery method,” Gondringer said. “Once the birthing parent and infant are stable, we support skin-to-skin for as long as they’re willing or able.”

Your baby will stay with you while your providers perform needed checks. Non-urgent tasks, such as bathing, measuring, and weighing the baby, can be delayed until after the Golden Hour. 

“The only time an infant is separated is if there’s a medical reason to do so,” Gondringer said. “Preterm infants who need to be in our special care nursery can still participate in skin-to-skin once stable, even with a cardiac monitor, IV pump, or other medical device.”

Let your provider know if you aren’t feeling well enough to hold your baby. The baby can be placed skin-to-skin on your partner or support person while you recover. Early skin-to-skin contact can help develop early bonds with the other parent or close family members, too. Skin-to-skin contact throughout the hospital stay and after going home continues to promote bonding, breastfeeding, and calming.

Strengthening the Bond Beyond the Golden Hour After Birth

The Golden Hour after birth is just the beginning of your journey with your newborn baby. Whether your birth goes exactly as planned or brings some surprises, you’ll have many opportunities to bond with your little one. Learning more about what to expect during and after pregnancy and birth will help give your baby the best start possible. Once the Golden Hour arrives, take a deep breath and enjoy welcoming your newborn to the world.