The baby is born - the way to end the birth and the newborn
After an uncomplicated vaginal birth, most babies will cry a few seconds after birth. If the baby adapts well to the conditions outside the uterus, the midwife will place him/her on your chest and abdomen. This skin-to-skin contact helps the baby maintain heat, stabilize breathing and heart rhythm, and is the best start in establishing physical and emotional connections between you and your child. It is also the first, important step in initiating breastfeeding.
After a vacuum or forceps birth, most babies will cry immediately after birth. If any assistance and support in starting to breathe is needed, the midwife will take him/her to a heated table, where the baby will be provided assistance. When the baby establishes good breathing, is active and his/her skin is pink, he/she is returned to the mother for skin-to-skin contact.
A baby born by vacuum extraction often has a large caput succedaneum and a mark from the vacuum cup; after the application of forceps, a mark or hematoma from forceps blades can be seen on the face. All these changes recede quickly and do not affect the child's health.
After a planned caesarean section, the midwife picks up the newborn in the operating room, assesses his/her breathing on a heated table, wipes him/her and attends to the umbilical cord stump. Spinal or epidural anesthesia enables you not to miss that magical moment, to see your newborn and hear his/her first cry. Inquire if the maternity hospital offers the possibility of skin-to-skin contact in the operating room immediately after the child is born.
Newborns born by emergency cesarean section are more likely to have problems adapting. The midwife takes the child to a heated table, where the pediatrician assesses his/her vitality and provides the necessary assistance. If you are under general anesthesia during the surgery, you will see the baby after waking up. If your baby needs an incubator or other additional care, you will get information from a pediatrician.
During a caesarean section, especially an emergency one, a cut can occur on the baby's presenting part, most often the head, sometimes the buttocks in case of the pelvic presentation. These cuts are usually superficial, heal in a few days and do not leave a scar. It is usually enough to apply an adhesive strip to cuts, it is rarely necessary to suture the injury. These cuts are sterile, so there is no risk of infection or the need for anti-tetanus protection.
