Baby slides into the new world, a transformation has happened, both mother and baby experience a period of re-intergration and re-organization. The stage may take about 5 to 10 minutes and is similar to quiescence in the calmness and quietude. Mother and baby are stabilizing-re-organizing molecular structure and neither may do anything that is visibly apparent for a few moments.
Baby is changing from fetal circulation to neonatal circulation, initiating respirations, smelling the new surroundings, feeling the air for the first time,listening,seeing and experiencing his or her first impressions of this planet. Mother is seeing the planet through new eyes. She will usually sit quietly for a few moments allowing herself to return. She then will reach out and touch her baby. Partner will sit by in awe watching the amazing scene. This is the moment of earthly bonding, oxytocin, the hormone of love runs high… higher than any other time in labour and the family falls in love with each other. Mother recognizes her child,partner claims his family. The bonding occurs first on psychic and spiritual level, then the mother reaches to pick up her baby. It is not appropriate to interfere with this stage of birth. This is an incredibly high and holy moment and if we truly understood birth and the impact of returning from an altered state… the re-intergration, we would protect the privacy of the mother and baby at this time more than any other. Mothers are often not ready to hold their babies immediately after birthing.They need a moment or even 5. They need to experience their baby in an authentic and instinctive manner. We do not need to hand the Mother her baby and please never remove the baby from the mother’s field.
