Sacred Hour

We recognize and support that your family and friends want to come to meet your new baby. During your hospital stay we encourage you to allow private time for your new family to bond. Consider limiting visiting hours to allow you and your baby time to get to know each other. This will allow your baby time to learn to breastfeed and allow yourself time to rest.

In case you're thinking...What's taking so long?

• The newest member of your family is arriving! You’ve waited in anticipation for months, and this last hour has seemed to last even longer. But, rest assured the time is well worth the wait.
• The Sacred Hour is an important time for both Mommy and Baby. It gets special hormones flowing for physical, emotional, and mental development. Baby naturally knows what to do!
• During normal deliveries, common practices such as weighing, measuring, bathing, and eye drops should be delayed for The Sacred Hour.
• Remember, Mommy and Baby cannot repeat the first hour, so they need support from hospital staff and family during this time.

Who's the elephant in the room?

Having a baby can be stressful. Combine that with a crowded room full of family and friends and the stress levels can escalate. We suggest that you consider a few rules of etiquette for patient room behavior:

• Don’t swarm Mommy or Baby upon entering the room.
• Holding the baby is a privilege. Be patient.
• Ask first before posting photos to social media. (Mommy might not want to be tagged just yet.)
• Limit the length of your stay and take turns in the room.
• Keep noise levels down and the oxytocin flowing.

What else can I do?

Many new mothers who breastfeed successfully say ongoing support from family and friends is a key factor. Privacy, time, patience and confidence do not always come easily for new mothers. So it is important to help them find these things for continued and less stressful breastfeeding. For more helpful ways to support Mommy... Visit ReallyREALLY.org

What is The Sacred Hour?

Upon delivery, the first hour is spent with Baby placed directly on mother’s chest, skin-to-skin. During this time the baby will naturally go through nine stages toward breastfeeding. It’s only an hour! A small price for Baby and Mommy to create a lasting bond.

The nine stages of The Sacred Hour

Why Skin-to-skin?

Studies show the mother-child bond is critical for Baby’s growth and development. Skin-to-skin is one of the best ways to learn about your baby and begin the important process of bonding with your newborn. The skin-to-skin contact allows the mother to receive communication cues that are important to breastfeeding.

What about a Cesarean Birth?

The Sacred Hour can be experienced with a cesarean birth by placing the newborn horizontally across mother’s chest, post-operation.