Hi everybody! I'm Melanie Raposo and welcome to Mommy's Minute. For nine months, you've been preparing for what to expect during labor. You've read all of the pregnancy books, attended all of the prenatal classes, but nothing can quite prepare you for what to expect right after your baby is born. If you have a vaginal birth, your baby will immediately be placed on your stomach, will be dried off and wrapped in a warm towel. Nurses will then suction your baby's mouth and nose to clear any breathing passages.

As for the umbilical cord, your partner can cut it and then a sample of umbilical cord blood will be taken to determine your baby's blood type and to use for additional testing. In addition to that, your baby will be weighed and measured and given antibiotic eye drops to protect against infections and also will receive an injection of vitamin K to help prevent blood clotting. And after all is set and done, if both you and your baby are up for it, you can begin to breastfeed and really start to bond with your new bundle of joy.