We focus a lot on birth preparation, and rightly so. But what happens in the immediate aftermath when you’ve just birthed your baby?
On this week’s blog we’re looking at what happens next.
Delivering your placenta
Once your baby is earth-side if all is well they’ll be placed on your chest for you to have some skin-to-skin time. You’ll likely feel overwhelmed and exhausted and you may not pay much attention to what happens next but soon after you’ve delivered your baby you’ll need to deliver your placenta which is the third stage of birth.
You’ll likely have discussed whether you want the third stage of labour to be actively managed or unaided so you don’t have to make the decision at the time.
Clamping and cutting the umbilical cord
Once your baby’s born, the umbilical cord will be:
- clamped (pressed together) to stop the blood flowing
- cut between your baby and the placenta – let your midwife know in advance if you’d like your birth partner to cut the umbilical cord
Once your baby is born, the cord won’t usually be clamped until it has stopped pulsating, at least a minute. This ensures your baby receives all the blood from your placenta, which is good for your baby’s iron levels.
The cord will be cut immediately if:
- it’s wrapped around your baby’s head and needs to be cut
- your baby needs medical help
Vitamin K for newborn babies
You’ll be offered an injection of vitamin K for your baby. This helps prevent a rare bleeding disorder called haemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Vitamin K can also be offered to your baby orally. Your midwife should have discussed the options with you while you were pregnant. If you opt for it to be administered orally they’ll need further doses.
APGAR Score
In the first minutes after the birth of your little one they will receive an APGAR score, which helps your midwife or doctor to see if your baby needs any extra medical care in the time immediately after birth.
The APGAR test is an assessment of your baby’s responsiveness immediately after being born. Your baby’s APGAR score will usually be recorded by your midwife 1 minute after your baby’s birth, again at 5 minutes and sometimes a third time, at 10 minutes after birth.
APGAR Stands for:
Appearance
Pulse
Grimace response (reflexes)
Activity
Respiration
Skin to skin
Providing little one doesn’t need any medical help straight after birth you’ll be offered skin-to-skin time with your baby which helps with bonding with your baby. Your baby may be covered in vernix, which is a white greasy substance which protects your baby’s skin in utero. Your baby will then be covered with a towel to prevent them getting cold.
Stitches for tears or cuts
Small tears and grazes are often left without stitches because they can usually heal without treatment.
If you need stitches or other treatments, you should be able to carry on cuddling your baby while this is being done.
If you have had a large tear or an episiotomy, you’ll need stitches.
If you have already had an epidural, it can be topped up. If you haven’t, you should be offered a local anaesthetic to numb the area.
Extra help
Some babies may need mucus cleared from their airway and occasionally babies need oxygen to help them to get their breathing established. If this is the case your baby may be taken to another part of the room to have some oxygen but they’ll be brought back to you as quickly as possible.
Your baby will be examined by a midwife, neotnatal nurse or paediatrician, then weight and possibly measured and given a wrist or ankle band with your name on it.
Your midwife or maternity support worker will help you to wash and get ready to move on to the post natal ward once you are ready.