Weighing and measuring
Bathing
Weighing and measuring
When a baby is born and excitement fills the room, there is often the urge to ring everyone and spread the good news. Apart from "Congratulations!" the inevitable question comes, "How heavy is he or she?" prompting many parents to ask for their baby to be weighed.
Weighing and measuring your baby is something that is usually done soon after birth. The timing of when your caregiver does this often depends on where you give birth and how busy the delivery suite or birth centre is. In many cases a baby will be weighed and measured within the first 30 minutes, although there is no real reason why procedures such as weighing, measuring and bathing cannot be left until later - providing your baby is well.
You you may request these formalities be delayed for an hour or longer, to enable more close bonding time with your baby and perhaps breastfeed them. Many parents cherish having some undisturbed time with their new baby. Be aware that feeding your baby does not make much difference to their birth weight. Often they wee or poo during this time which usually makes up for any small gains!
Most birth centres and homebirth practitioners prioritise the baby feeding, over them being weighed. Leaving these official procedures until 2 or 3 hours after the birth (or even later that day in some cases). This is aimed at allowing the baby time to adjust, feed and be with their parents. If you have your baby in a delivery suite, there may be preset routines or pressure to move you to the postnatal ward (especially if they are busy) meaning procedures tend to be done within the first hour or so after the baby is born.
Babies who are unwell and need medical attention are usually weighed swiftly on arrival to the intensive care nursery, in case medications or intravenous fluids are required as dosages are prescribed according to the baby's weight.