Most women who have birthed will happily share their story. I’m curious about sharing our experience of the moments that followed; those precious few minutes and hours following birth when you first met that little person who was not long ago your “bump”.

A warm, quiet, calm environment is what’s needed, an undisturbed hour or two of low lights and whispered words. Supportive birth settings will protect and uphold the need for the birthing woman and her infant to remain together immediately after birth. Hopefully gone are the days of baby being whisked away for checks, measures, and needles, to be returned sometime later wrapped like a burrito, with only a teeny tiny face peeking out from under the layers of wraps.

Even if your birth wasn’t what you’d hoped, elements of that undisturbed time can be protected as much as possible and even replicated at a later time. A baby who needs some measure of resuscitation can safely remain with cord intact in direct skin to skin with Mum. Progressive health care facilities recognise and support the baby’s needs while staying warm and safe, continuing to receive cord blood until the cord naturally stops pulsating.

Babies are born needing to be immediately placed tummy down on their mother’s stomach. In those moments, mother and baby work together to keep each other well and safe while they get to take in their first sight, sound, smell, and touch sensations. At that time, in the background, our physiology is quietly, yet powerfully orchestrating cascades of hormones setting us up for successful bonding and breastfeeding and placental birth.

So give some thought to your choice of caregiver for your pregnancy, labour and birth, thinking about who would provide your best support, work on your birthplan, and take some time to talk about your preferences for those first few hours after birth. Think about creating an optimal environment for birth, whether at home or hospital. Ask your caregiver how they are willing to protect and support you and your baby’s first hours.