In a recent image shared online, we witnessed the beautiful birth of a healthy baby boy in a home water birth setting. The image captures a pivotal moment ā the baby is only a minute old. However, this heartwarming event was tainted by a common misconception, one that needs clarification.
The baby in the image does indeed appear a bit purple. This discoloration is not a result of image manipulation or editing. Moreover, the baby took a moment or two to breathe after birth, which is entirely normal.
Until a baby takes its first breath outside the womb, it relies entirely on the umbilical cord and placenta for nutrients and oxygen. The placenta provides essential nutrients and oxygen while also removing waste products from the baby’s bloodstream. This process continues even after the baby’s arrival in the outside world.
In a natural birth, the baby continues to receive oxygen through the umbilical cord and placenta. This supply does not stop the moment the baby takes its first breath. It ceases when the cord stops pulsing and becomes limp, signifying that all the blood from the placenta has flowed to the baby.
Occasionally, babies may take a minute or slightly longer to initiate their first breath, which is also entirely normal. Keep in mind that these babies have spent approximately nine months in the womb, swallowing amniotic fluid, and receiving oxygen and nutrients via the umbilical cord.
Suddenly, they are thrust, often abruptly, into a world filled with bright lights, loud sounds, and numerous hands. Instead of rushing the process, it’s crucial to allow these newborns a moment to breathe until the umbilical cord ceases its job of supplying oxygen.
Mothers, who have nurtured their babies in their wombs, can guide their newborns to their first breath through their touch, voice, and breath. This gentle and natural stimulation encourages babies to take their first breath, a phenomenon known as the “Newborn imprint.”
In a medicalized version of this process, newborns are immediately subjected to tactile stimulation, which often includes rubbing or tapping. In some instances, it’s been even more forceful, such as holding babies upside down by their feet or slapping their bottoms.
But is this aggressive intervention necessary? Some studies suggest otherwise. They found no definitive impact of tactile stimulation. Babies would often start breathing on their own or with other forms of stimulation, such as light, sound, or the mother’s touch.
It’s essential to give newborns a chance to adjust to the new world and initiate their first breath naturally. Then, if legitimate concerns arise, medical intervention can be considered. Trust in the power of nature.
So, that purple-tinted baby in the image you saw may have taken a moment to breathe, but within moments, he was crying, bonding, breathing, and breastfeeding. His color turned from purple to pink, a perfect example of nature’s incredible design.
