Dr. Greene's tips for a "green" childbirth

Pediatrician Alan Greene, MD, shares his top tips on how to have a "green" childbirth, and why it is important to plan your childbirth out with a birth plan
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Dr. Greene's tips for a "green" childbirth

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When it comes to having a "green" childbirth, the most important thing is thinking about this ahead of time, because once the moment comes, a lot of decisions are already in play. So deciding where want to have your baby, who you want to be attending when you're having your baby are key, and setting up what I call a "green" birth plan. And there's an example of that. My book Raising Baby Green has a whole checklist of things you might opt for. 2 of my favorite things are when the baby is first coming out, to opt for Optimal Cord Clamping. To wait at least 90 seconds or so for the cord to stop pulsing so the baby gets their full birth right of what's theirs at the moment of birth. Another thing that for me is really important that most people miss out on is the very first meal. Rather than rushing to put the baby to breast, I put the baby down a little bit lower on the belly and wait. And what'll happen is this amazing thing kicks in where the baby's feet will start to move and will start to inch their way up towards mom's breast. They'll navigate based on smell. They'll recognize the smell on her nipple of their food from beforehand, and they'll use their hands actually to help detect it because their hands are still coated a little bit of amniotic fluid. If you washed their hands first, they can't do it. But if you just put them there, they'll work their way up, they'll get the best latch that way, they'll figure out the food they're meant for and it's just an amazing moment for mom and baby when that happens naturally.

Pediatrician Alan Greene, MD, shares his top tips on how to have a "green" childbirth, and why it is important to plan your childbirth out with a birth plan

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Alan Greene, MD

Founder, DrGreene.com

Dr. Alan Greene founded his website, DrGreene.com, in 1995, cited by the AMA as "the pioneer physician web site." In 2010 he founded the WhiteOut Now movement to change how babies are fed from their very first bite of solid food, and in 2012 he founded TICC TOCC – Transitioning Immediate Cord Clamping To Optimal Cord Clamping. He is an author of several books including Feeding Baby Green and appears frequently in the media including such venues as the The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, TODAY Show, Good Morning America, the Dr. Oz Show, and is a regular columnist for Parenting magazine. He is a practicing pediatrician and the father of four.

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