How important is it to breastfeed immediately after birth?
Breastfeeding is most successful when it begins shortly after birth. The staff will want to check the baby’s vital signs and see if the baby needs any special care. If not, the mother should begin breastfeeding. Standard newborn procedures, such as eye ointment, weighing baby, measuring baby and the Vitamin K injection do not need to be done immediately and can wait until after breastfeeding.
