Birth Day: Your Baby's First 24 Hours of Life

While you've probably mapped out what your post-delivery hospital stay will entail, you may not realize that your baby will be twice as busy as you'll be. Just five minutes after he arrives, he is poked, pricked, measured, tested, cleaned, and swaddled. Delivery procedures are different in every hospital, but here's what's likely to happen in the whirlwind that's your baby's first day.

By Janna Oberdorf

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Minute 1

As soon as your baby is born, the doctor suctions his mouth and nose to clear away mucus and amniotic fluid and make sure his nostrils are open. Then he'll clamp and cut the umbilical cord. Once your baby is detached, you may get to see him for the first time. Although newborn babies look all cute and cuddly in the movies, don't expect such a clean, neat bundle of joy. "Your baby will look more like E.T. than the Gerber baby," says Jennifer Shu, MD, pediatrician and Parents advisor. Remember that he's been swimming inside your tummy for nine months, and it'll take a while for him to stretch out and de-prune. He'll also have a white, waxy covering, called the vernix, which coats and protects his skin from the amniotic fluid inside your womb. This washes off easily when your baby is cleaned. Don't be alarmed if you see any rashes, blotches, or tiny white spots -- these marks are common and often clear up in the first few days or weeks.

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