Giving birth: What happens to your baby after birth

Right after your baby is born, the health care team will do the following.

• Suction amniotic fluid from the nose and mouth.
• Give your baby to you for skin-to-skin contact.
• Perform Apgar scores two times within the first 5 minutes. Your newborn will be given a score of between zero to 10 for her:

1. color
2. heartbeat
3. breathing
4. movement
5. relfexes
6. muslce tone. A score of 6 or more is usually a sign of well-being. The scores in each area should improve with each test given.

• Give a vitamin K shot to help your baby's blood to clot.
• Put an ointment on his or her eyes to prevent infection and blindness.
• Dry your baby, put on a hat, put on a diaper and give him or her to you for skin-to-skin contact or in a warm blanket.
• Put identification bracelets on baby's ankle and/or wrist. These bracelets will match the ones you and your partner have.
• Take footprint impressions for a memento.
• Make every effort to fulfill your requests to hold, nurse and photograph your baby.

Related Links

Your newborn: Medical tests and terms

First published: 10/04/2002
Last updated: 06/19/2003

Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts