At our hospital breastfeeding within the first hour is part of the clinical pathway.
If the baby is not to breast within one hour of birth, we must write a note as to why.

Most of our nurses do as much of the immediate care of baby with baby in mom's arms.  We have not yet had baby's breastfeed in the OR after a section -- this is one of the two times baby gets temporarily separated from mom at birth -- infant goes to the ICN to board until mom is out of the OR and back to a labor/recovery room.  (Unfortunately, these babies are more likely to get d-sticked for no good reason, and bottled (ugh)...but even there we are improving.) Usually under an hour, but sometimes more.  The other "usual" separation is for mec deliveries or other complications for which peds are present -- they move the infant instantly to the bedside warmer for assessment/resuscitation.  Most babies are back to moms arms within 10  minutes.

I'm proud of the way we have gotten into nursing the baby within minutes of birth.  What causes me dismay is the frequency with which mom or her partner or other family members say she is "too tired, too weak, too sore" to even hold
the baby, much less breastfeed yet.  Or baby is too young!!?**  It worries 
me when a mom seems reluctant, or needs a firm nurse to "make" her  
hold or interact with this wonderful being she has just worked so hard to 
deliver .


Sincerely,

Chanita, San Francisco