The first hour after birth is extremely important for a child’s development. Therefore, it is vital to give the child and mother the necessary time after birth to spend in skin-to-skin contact (the naked baby on the mother’s bare chest). During this time, the baby will go through 9 instinctive stages (which are innate) in a specific order. All these stages are also influenced by the course of labor (epidural analgesia, pain relief medication, induction of labor, etc.).

STAGE 1 – The birth cry

The first stage is the baby’s cry. The first loud cry immediately after birth is important for lung expansion.
STAGE 2 – Relaxation

The second stage is the relaxation stage. During this stage, the mouth and hands are relaxed. It usually occurs after the crying stage. The baby is in skin-to-skin contact with the mother, covered with a dry, warm diaper/towel/blanket. There is no diaper or other fabric between the mother and the baby.
STAGE 3 – Awakening

The third stage is the awakening stage. The baby makes small jerking movements in the head and shoulders. This stage usually occurs 3 minutes after birth. They may move their mouth, open their eyes, and move their head and shoulders.
STAGE 4 – Activity

The fourth stage is the activity stage. In this stage, the newborn opens their mouth wide, licks, and shows an interest in sucking. This stage usually occurs 8 minutes after birth. Even though the baby shows “interest,” we should not latch them ourselves.
STAGE 5 – Rest

At any point, the baby may rest. The baby can have rest periods during any active stage in the first hour after birth or immediately after birth.
STAGE 6 – Crawling

The sixth stage is the crawling stage. In this stage, the newborn slowly crawls toward the breast in short intervals. This stage usually occurs 35 minutes after birth.
STAGE 7 – Familiarization

The seventh stage is called the familiarization stage. The baby gets to know the mother by licking the nipple and touching and massaging the breast. This stage usually occurs 45 minutes after birth and lasts about 20 minutes or more.
STAGE 8 – Breastfeeding/Suckling

The eighth stage is the suckling stage. In this stage, the newborn latches onto the nipple on their own and sucks. This first breastfeeding experience usually occurs 1 hour after birth. If the mother had analgesia (epidural, spinal) / anesthesia during labor, it may take longer for the suckling stage to occur. In this case, the baby and mother should continue to remain in skin-to-skin contact.
STAGE 9 – Sleep

The final stage is the sleep stage. It often happens that both the baby and the mother fall asleep. The baby usually falls asleep within 1.5 – 2 hours after birth.