The Apgar score is done visually by the caregiver and in many cases parents are unaware it is taking place. When a baby cries straight away and appears alert and vigorous, most caregivers automatically give a score of 9 or 10 at one minute, usually taking one point off for Colour because the baby's hands and feet are often blue. The score given at five minutes is usually 10 if the baby is well and looks like they have fully adjusting to being in the outside world. Sometimes the caregiver physically checks the baby’s heart rate is above 100 beats per minute by gently placing their hand on the baby's chest or their umbilical cord to see how fast it is pulsating. It is automatically presumed that the baby's heart rate is over 100 if they are very responsive and/or crying.
A few caregivers routinely give a score of 9 at one minute and then 9 again at five minutes, because the baby's hands and feet are still looking blue. However, blue hands and feet are a normal physical feature for newborns that can persist or occur periodically for days or weeks after the birth. In reality this type of scoring is technically incorrect as the Apgar score is designed to reflect the baby's adjustment to life outside the womb. Nevertheless, a score of 9 at five minutes is generally accepted by most professionals and will often be recorded in this way. As a rule, a score of 8, 9 or 10 at one minute and 9 or 10 at five minutes are all considered a reflection of a well and healthy baby at birth, the only difference being the individual way a caregiver tends to score.
In the excitement of the birth (but more out of habit), the caregiver could allocate a score for your baby well before the first minute has been reached, resulting in giving them a lower first Apgar score than they probably deserve.