What Is The Concept Of Golden Hour After Birth? Know Benefits Of Breastfeeding In The Golden Hour

A mother tries her best to give the best to her baby. From the very second after the baby is born a mother follows every step for the right development of the child. The first hour after the birth of the child also makes a lot difference for baby's health. There has been a great debate going on, regarding the importance of breastfeeding in this crucial time which is better known as the golden hour. What is the concept of golden hour? Is it necessary to feed the baby during the first hour? Here are all the answers.

The concept of "Golden Hour"

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Yet, before anything else, let's understand the basics of Golden Hour. This crucial hour encompasses practices that contribute to the well-being of both mother and child, from delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin contact for at least an hour, to perform assessments on the abdomen, delaying non-urgent tasks (e.g., cleaning the newborn) for 60 minutes. Here early initiation of breastfeeding is one of the important steps that need to be administered. Despite its importance this has been taking a backseat to medical procedures. Here, this is an acute deficiency in awareness, which needs to be promoted.

Also read: Some Breastfeeding Secrets Every Mother Should Know

Breastfeeding in the golden hour- benefits

As mentioned before, post-birth, every second count to provide the best outlet of development for your baby. Breastfeeding during the golden hour provides a host of benefits that greatly impact the health of both mother and child. It contributes to neonatal thermoregulation, decreased stress levels, increase baby's immunity (micro biome) and improves the bond between mother and the newborn. Golden hour is also beneficial for mother as it can speed up the delivery of the placenta, reducing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage (also called PPH).

Breast milk is extremely essential for baby's growth
Photo Credit: iStock

Here, two key factors come into play- the first flush of milk or colostrum and the facilitation of skin-to-skin contact. Colostrum is high in fat, proteins and antibodies, which are essential for every baby. This fountain of benefits is delivered in a concentrated form since it is produced in very small quantities, acting as lifetime protection against allergies and infections, along with this early initiation of breastfeeding improves breastfeeding success rates. It is the major ingredient in ensuring your baby's security of health in the future. Babies who are breastfed have lower rates of ear infections, asthma, diabetes, childhood leukemia and sudden infant death syndrome. An adequate amount of breast milk acts as a shield against diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Apart from all this, breastfeeding also helps regulate the baby's body temperature, decrease the chances of neonatal jaundice and improves immunity.

Also read: Smoking Can Adversely Affect Breastfeeding Habits, Here's How

While we talk about benefits amongst newborns, health benefit amongst mothers should also be extolled. Mothers who nurse their babies have lower rates of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and diabetes. Skin-to-skin contact is an important aspect amongst mothers and child as it releases certain hormones. This helps the mother build a bond with her child and helps the uterus to contract and stop bleeding.

(Dr. Shilpi Srivastava, Consultant, Lactation Counselor, Lamaze certified child-birth educator & Physiotherapist, Motherhood Hospital, Noida)

Also read: Breast Milk Can Prevent Food Allergies, Says Study
 

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