Newborn Procedures Explained
In the first hours and days after birth, your baby will be offered a handful of procedures. They are usually presented as a single routine package, done quickly before you go home. But they are separate decisions, and each one is yours to make for your family.
Well-informed parents genuinely land in different places on each of these. This page is the map: a short, neutral summary of what each procedure is, with links to the in-depth articles and the guide where you can read both sides and decide. No pressure in either direction.
You do not have to accept everything, and you do not have to decline everything. You can say yes to some and delay or decline others. A helpful first question for almost any of these is whether it can wait until after your initial skin-to-skin time.
Below, the procedures with their own deep-dive article come first, then the ones the Research Guide covers in full. Start wherever your questions are.
Read Both Sides in Depth
Each of these has a dedicated article that lays out what it is, what hospitals tell you, and the honest case on both sides.
Skin-to-Skin and the Golden Hour
Resting your baby bare against your chest in the first 60 minutes after birth. It is well-supported care that most families welcome, and most routine procedures can wait or happen while your baby stays on your chest.
Delayed Cord Clamping
Waiting before clamping the umbilical cord so more of the placenta’s blood transfers to your baby. It is a simple preference to request, and how long to wait is yours to decide.
Vitamin K
Babies are born with very low vitamin K, the vitamin blood needs to clot. The standard fix is a single injection; oral drops and declining are the other paths. A real trade-off, and your call.
Eye Ointment
Erythromycin antibiotic ointment applied to your baby’s eyes to prevent a serious eye infection. It is required by law in most US states, and some families with negative STI tests choose to decline where allowed.
Circumcision
The surgical removal of the foreskin. No major medical organization recommends it for all newborns or says it should never be done. The decision is left to parents based on their values, culture, religion, and circumstances.
Covered in Depth in the Guide
These do not have a standalone article yet. Here is the neutral summary of each, and the Research Guide walks through the full evidence and both sides.
Hepatitis B Vaccine at Birth
A vaccine given to newborns in the US for over 30 years. In December 2025 the CDC made the birth dose an individual decision for babies born to mothers who test negative for hepatitis B; you can vaccinate at birth, delay, or decline. The AAP opposed the change and still recommends the birth dose for all newborns. Well-informed people land in different places here.
Newborn Screening (Heel Prick)
A few drops of blood taken from your baby’s heel within 24 to 48 hours, screened for 30 to 50 rare but serious conditions (the number varies by state) that cause no symptoms at birth but can be treated if caught early. Most families screen; some weigh the pain of the heel stick or how their state stores the blood spot.
Hearing Test
A quick, painless screening, usually done while your baby sleeps, that measures how the ears respond to sound and catches hearing loss early. The evidence here is about as one-sided as newborn care gets, though it is still yours to decide.
The First Bath
When and whether to give your baby their first bath in the hospital. Some families wait; others have cultural or bonding reasons to bathe sooner. The guide walks through the trade-offs.
A Note on Comfort
Whatever you choose, some of these procedures involve a moment of pain for your baby, like the heel prick or an injection. For many of them, breastfeeding or skin-to-skin during the procedure meaningfully reduces your baby’s distress. It is worth asking your provider what comfort measures are available and whether you can hold your baby throughout.
Questions to Ask Your Provider
- Which of these procedures can wait until after our initial skin-to-skin time?
- Which ones are routine here, and which do you ask us to consent to individually?
- Can I hold or breastfeed my baby during procedures that involve a needle or heel stick?
- I tested negative for hepatitis B. What are my options for the birth dose?
- What is our state’s policy on storing the newborn blood spot, and can I request destruction?
- If we want to decline or delay any of these, what does that process look like?
Want the Full Research Behind Every Procedure?
The Birth Decisions Research Guide covers every newborn procedure and 40+ other choices in depth: the pros and cons, the medical evidence and real citations behind every number, what hospitals tell you versus the full picture, and scripts to advocate for yourself.
Get the Research Guide - $39Includes lifetime updates and citations from medical journals
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Medical Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. We are not doctors. Always discuss your specific situation with your healthcare provider before making decisions about your baby's care.
Last reviewed July 21, 2026.