If all is well, most babies cry immediately after birth. Most then quietly gaze with large open eyes at their surroundings before falling asleep. But some might stay awake and want to feed. If your baby seems ready, you can try breastfeeding within a few minutes of birth. Enjoy these first wondrous cries, they signal that your baby's respiratory and circulatory systems are making a successful transition from life inside your womb to life outside it.

Newborns may continue to cry because they're shocked by the transition to the outside world. Every baby is different. Some might feel hungry or cold but aren't able to express it by crying. If your pediatrician has determined everything is fine with your newborn, they may simply still be learning how to cry. Still, as long as your baby's needs are met, there's no issue with them not crying as much.

Newborn crying jags are inevitable. On any given day, a newborn might cry for up to two hours or even longer. Babies do indeed feel pain, and that they process it similarly to adults. Until as recently as the 1980s, researchers assumed newborns did not have fully developed pain receptors, and believed that any responses babies had to pokes or pricks were merely muscular reactions. 

As quickly as possible, a new baby is placed in your arms. Often, the baby is placed skin-to-skin on your chest right after birth. Some babies will breastfeed right away. In the first hour or 2 after birth, most babies are in an alert, wide awake phase. Abstract. Vociferous, shrill, and piercing-the first cry of the newborn infant signals that a new and separate life has begun. Separated from the body of the mother, the newborn cry serves to call for care, support, and protection.

Developing babies need oxygen beginning early in pregnancy. But a baby won't take their first breath until after birth. This means that babies don't truly breathe in the womb. Instead, the umbilical cord provides the baby with oxygen until the first breath. There are no nerve endings in your baby's cord, so it doesn't hurt when it is cut. What's left attached to your baby is called the umbilical stump, and it will soon fall off to reveal an adorable belly button.

Your baby may have some of your blood on their skin and perhaps vernix, the greasy white substance that protects your baby's skin in the womb. If you prefer, you can ask the midwife to dry your baby and wrap them in a blanket before your cuddle. Mucus may need to be cleared out of your baby's nose and mouth.

The first cry is critical to initiate successful transition from fetal circulation, where the baby is completely dependent on the mother and placenta for gas exchange, to life outside the womb where the baby must use its own lungs to sustain life.

Read related article: Do's And Don'ts When Taking Care Of A Newborn Baby What New Parents Need To Know About Natural Childbirth What New Parents Need To Know About Natural Childbirth