#  The First Moments: Skin-to-Skin, Bonding, and Breastfeeding 

 

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The first moments after birth are filled with connection, comfort, and care. This time helps your baby adjust to life outside the womb and gives you an opportunity to bond through touch, closeness, and early feeding.

## The First Sixty Minutes

Your baby will be most alert in the first hour after birth, then often falls into a deep sleep. Take advantage of this special time to connect with your baby, hold them close, and, if you choose to, [begin breastfeeding](/bump-beyond/newborn-care/feeding-your-baby/getting-started-breastfeeding "Bump & Beyond: Getting Started with Breastfeeding | Boston Medical Center").

Your nurse, provider, or [Birth Sister](/bump-beyond/during-pregnancy/medical-care/birth-sisters "Bump & Beyond: Birth Sisters™: Support through Pregnancy, Birth, and Beyond | Boston Medical Center") will help guide you and your baby through these early moments, ensuring you both feel comfortable and supported.

Expect to stay in your labor room for at least two hours.

### What Is Skin-to-Skin?

Most babies are placed skin-to-skin right after birth. **Skin-to-skin** means placing your undressed baby (wearing only a diaper) directly against your bare chest and covering both of you with a warm blanket.

This special time—often called the [Sacred Hour](https://www.lllc.ca/first-hours-after-birth-nine-instinctive-stages "The First Hours After Birth: The Nine Instinctive Stages | La Leche League Canada (llc.ca)")—is encouraged during the first one to two hours after birth.

Skin-to-skin time can be continued often in the days and weeks that follow.

### Benefits of Skin-to-Skin

Skin-to-skin contact provides a gentle and healthy start for your baby while also strengthening your bond. It can:

- Help your baby **stay warm** and **maintain normal blood sugar, breathing, and heart rate**
- **Support bonding** between you and your baby
- **Encourage breastfeeding** by helping your body make milk and guiding your baby to find the breast naturally
- **Keep your baby calm**—babies held skin-to-skin often cry less

[Learn More about Getting Started with Breastfeeding](/bump-beyond/newborn-care/feeding-your-baby/getting-started-breastfeeding "Bump & Beyond: Getting Started with Breastfeeding | Boston Medical Center")

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