Book Appointment

Home · Prep for Baby · The first hour after birth

Prep for Baby

🌅 The first hour after birth

A few simple, proven steps in the first hour give your baby the healthiest possible start.

Tap a question to open the answer

Vitamin K

A single vitamin K injection soon after birth prevents a rare but serious bleeding problem. It is recommended for every baby and is a safe, routine part of newborn care. Ask and make sure that your baby receives it. alot of private delivery clinic do not offer it unless questioned.

✅ Do
  • Consent to the vitamin K injection
🚫 Avoid
  • Thise small clinics where no paediatric services availble and a paediatrician is not routinely on duty
Eye care

The eyes are gently cleaned after birth, and in some settings a protective treatment is given. Simple clean care keeps the eyes healthy. Never let anyone apply surma or kajal to a newborn's eyes.

✅ Do
  • Wipe each eye gently from inner to outer corner with clean cotton balls
🚫 Avoid
  • Do not apply surma, kajal or any home remedy to the eyes
Skin-to-skin contact

Placing your baby bare against your chest right after birth steadies their temperature, heart rate and breathing, calms them, and starts breastfeeding. It is one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do. Ask for it immediately and tell your close relatives to help you to achieve this after birth.

✅ Do
  • Ask for immediate skin-to-skin after birth. you should have already discussed even before delivery that this have to be done for suucessful breasst feeding., this bonding and rooming is utmost important.
🚫 Avoid
  • Unnessary separation of baby from the mother unless medically indicated.
Delayed cord clamping

Waiting a short while, usually a minute or more, before clamping the cord lets extra blood and iron reach your baby, which helps prevent anaemia. It is recommended for most healthy births.

✅ Do
  • Ask about delaying cord clamping if the birth is smooth and normal and baby have no complications. You must discuss with the attending obtetrician before delivery.
🚫 Avoid
  • Last minute discussions and decisions. all things should be preplaned where possible
Early breastfeeding

The first feed within the first hour uses the baby's natural alertness and helps your milk come in. Even a short feed of colostrum is valuable.

✅ Do
  • Try to feed within the first hour
Birth vaccines

In Pakistan, newborns receive BCG, the first hepatitis B, and oral polio at birth. These protect against serious diseases and are part of the national schedule. Make sure they are given and recorded on the vaccination card.

✅ Do
  • Ensure BCG, hepatitis B and polio are given and recorded.
🚫 Avoid
  • last minutes information gathering that where is nearest vaccination centre available. Majority small clinic may not have vaccination services
First examination

Before going home, a Paediatric doctor examines your baby head to toe, checking the heart, hips, eyes, palate, cord and reflexes. Ask whether it was done and whether everything was normal.

✅ Do
  • Confirm the newborn examination was done and normal. A screening Thyroid test must be done in all babies. If mother is Negative blood group baby blood group and other test for jaundice may be needed.
🚫 Avoid
  • Bbaby getting cold when undressed , vigorous shaking
Newborn screening

Newborn screening is a simple test, usually a few drops of blood, that finds certain treatable conditions early. Where it is available, it is worth doing.

✅ Do
  • Ask if newborn screening is available and have it done

Your before-labour checklist

Do not forget the one thing that ties it all together, our printable checklist to tick off before the big day.

Open the checklist

More to prepare

🏠 Preparing your home🧺 Essential equipment🤱 Preparing for breastfeeding🧳 Before going to hospital🛡️ Keeping baby safe💡 Common myths, cleared up👨‍🍼 How fathers can help

Questions before your baby arrives?

Choosing your paediatrician before the birth is one of the best things you can do. Book a consultation with Dr. Sethi, or send us a message.

Book an appointment💬 Ask on WhatsApp