What is the standard care protocol for a newborn immediately after birth?

The standard care protocol for a newborn immediately after birth begins with drying and warming the infant. This is essential for several reasons.

Newborns are unable to effectively regulate their body temperature, and they can quickly lose heat in the cooler environment outside the womb. By drying the baby with a warm cloth and ensuring they are in a warm environment, healthcare providers help prevent hypothermia, which can lead to further complications.

Warming also contributes to stabilizing vital signs, reduces stress on the infant, and promotes overall physiological stability. After the drying and warming process, healthcare providers can then proceed to assess the baby further, including performing the Apgar score evaluation and facilitating skin-to-skin contact, all of which are important components of newborn care but are not the very first steps taken after delivery.

Immediate feeding is often considered after the initial assessment and stabilization, and while skin-to-skin contact is highly encouraged to support bonding and breastfeeding initiation, the priority remains on ensuring the newborn is properly dried and kept warm right after birth.