The first touch of life: Where psychology embraces newborn cries

There are moments that happen only once in a lifetime, yet their impact can last for a hundred years. One such moment is the first hour after birth – often referred to as the “Sacred Hour.”
 

Imagine a tiny new life that has just left the warm, safe world of the womb to face an unfamiliar environment filled with bright lights and overwhelming sounds. In that moment of uncertainty, no sedative and no warming crib can compare to being gently placed on the bare chest of the mother.

Whether through vaginal delivery or cesarean section, when a baby’s skin remains in uninterrupted contact with the mother’s skin for at least the first hour of life, a remarkable process unfolds. The newborn naturally progresses through instinctive stages: from alertness and relaxation to the journey of finding the mother’s breast and receiving the first drops of colostrum. Scientific evidence shows that skin-to-skin contact helps stabilize heart rate, regulate body temperature, and promote optimal brain development. For mothers, it eases physical discomfort, balances hormones, and nurtures an invisible bond that can last a lifetime.

Beyond medical indicators, the “Sacred Hour” serves as the very first brick in building a person’s emotional foundation and capacity for love. Previous generations often experienced childbirth within the hurried routines of traditional medical care, where newborns were separated from their mothers immediately after birth for weighing and cleaning. Without realizing it, we may have left emotional gaps in those earliest moments of life.

For this reason, modern Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology perspectives suggest that the earliest moments of life are closely connected to both physical health and mental well-being.

These profound messages were shared by Associate Professor Dr. Raylene M. Phillips during the opening keynote session of the International Conference “Early Connections – Approaches to Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology,” held at Phan Chau Trinh University (PCTU) on the morning of June 20.

Through internationally oriented academic activities, PCTU continues to introduce emerging perspectives in modern psychology, particularly in the field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology. This discipline explores the relationship between mental health, child development, and experiences from pregnancy through the early years of life, creating new opportunities for students pursuing Psychology with a focus on clinical practice and counseling to support mental well-being in response to growing societal needs.

Photos from the conference: