# What happens with the baby immediately after the birth?



## Babysaurus (Mar 6, 2012)

As the title says really. Just after you've hatched, what happens to the baby? I am asking as I presume they have to have their blood sugar tested etc, but I was wondering what else may, or may not, happen. 
Any experiences you can share are very welcome!


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## cherrypie (Mar 6, 2012)

Hi,
There is a list here of tests carried out on newborns.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/baby/newborn/newborntestsandchecks/

Hope everything is going well for you.  xx


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## Monkey (Mar 6, 2012)

One to ask at your next A/N appointment. I really wanted to have skin to skin and give baby a chance to breastfeed immediately, but that got a bit lost in the c-section. He was out, wrapped in a towel and taken over to be wiped down and weighed - H went to see what we'd had - then came back over dressed, which I would ask not to happen again.

IIRC, blood sugar isn't tested til about 2-3hrs post-birth, altho I'm a bit hazy on that one! 

I've got some useful stuff on colostrum harvesting antenatally if you're planning to breastfeed and would like a read - let me know.


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## PhoebeC (Mar 6, 2012)

As soon as she was out they let me hold her (skin to skin) while nathaniel cut the cord. Then he held her, then they checked her and weighed her.
Then dad had her and my mum then they sent her to neo-natal as she needed to be kept warm and help with breathing.

I had her at 34 weeks. So she needed a bit of help for a few days.

I had her friday night and didnt get to hold her again till until late on sunday. Longest time ever!! Never felt so alone.

Not sure what test she had when. Sorry. 

I think blood sugars was one of the first ones though.

xx


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## rachelha (Mar 6, 2012)

Nathan was handed to my husband straight after the c-section and shown to me, he then went off for the standard tests.  I dont think blood sugar was doen then.  As everything was fine he came straight back to us.  I was not able to hold him much as I was so exhausted and drugged up I was just not with it, but he stayed with Theo.  He was with us all the time from then, but he was formula fed the first night as I was not in a state to be able to feed him.  I was literally falling asleep mid sentence.  
We did successfully bf for 9 months though after a bit of a difficult start.


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## Medusa (Mar 6, 2012)

i was allowed a quick skin to skin with both of mine before they started doing whatever it was they did which was important but i just dont remember due to the adrenaline.... was so overwhelmed with joy each time everything else blurs into one.... i know they do a blood sugar and let me breast feed too, best thing is to ask now so you know roughly the score beforehand.... exciting times


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## Austin Mini (Mar 6, 2012)

I was not allowed to watch the birth I was packed off to work and told to call at 4.0pm to see how things were. That was what it was like in 1974. My second son in 1980 I just got her to Boscombe hospital in time. Sent home again (5mins away) to hear the telephone ringing to be told 'its a boy!!).


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## sugarfreerach (Mar 6, 2012)

when Nathaniel was born, they cut the cord straight away, did very quick checks (he was born very fast by forceps, after a quick 2 hour labour) and then was back to me within 2 minutes for skin to skin for an hour. Then my diabetic nurse came in and babysat while i had the worst bath of my life! Other than that he didn't leave my side at all and I was allowed home after 24 hours.


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## Babysaurus (Mar 7, 2012)

Thanks for the replies everyone. (Austin, yours made me laugh!) 
I shall indeed be asking at the next A/N appointment - now I am almost 26 weeks (sounds further along when you call it six and a half months!) these things are becoming much more of a reality!


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## Austin Mini (Mar 7, 2012)

Thats what it was like in the early '70s TEN days in hospital with your first child. My wife and newborn son were treated like Royalty in that hospital. What my wife didnt know was I had been dating the nurses before I met her. On my first visit to see my wife on the day my son was born I went into maternity ward with flowers to visit to be met by three old nurse friends. When they found out I was the father of one of the new borns the word went around and every visiting evening I met more of the nurses. Most were or about to be married and it was great to see them fussing over my wife and son. The midwife who delivered our son I went to school with in the 1950s in RAF Germany. On one hot German day I soaked her and her sister with a hose pipe! I was sent back the next day to appologise to their Mum and Dad (he was my fathers navigator).


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## Ellie Jones (Mar 8, 2012)

My first daughter was laid next to me I wasn't allowed to hold her on my stomach, as they were concerned about her weight being too much...

My son, I actually didn't see him about 4 or 5 hours afterwards, but did see a photo of him though...  When he was born the consultant couldn't keep his heart going, so did an emergency dash from labour room to SCBU holding my son in his arms wrapped in a blanket..  I didn't even get a glimpse of him as two many people stood/working around him..  Then I hemorraged so another panic in the labour room...

My youngest daughter I again wasn't allowed to hold, but she was laid next to me and then taken down to SCBU, and once I was sorted taken to my bed in maternity, I was allowed to go round to SCBU straight away..

So a lot depends on what happens on the day


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## Babysaurus (Mar 11, 2012)

Ellie, you sound to have had quite a rough time. Can I ask how much your first daughter weighed? Or was the weight possibly too much due to your condition rather than simply her weight?


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