Providing Evidence-Based Care During the Golden Hour.

The Golden Hour encompasses a set of evidence-based practices that contribute to the physiologic stabilization of the mother-newborn dyad after birth. Important elements of the Golden Hour include delayed cord clamping, skin-to-skin contact for at least an hour, the performance of newborn assessments on the maternal abdomen, delaying non-urgent tasks (e.g., bathing the newborn) for 60 minutes, and the early initiation of breastfeeding. The Golden Hour contributes to neonatal thermoregulation, decreased stress levels in a woman and her newborn, and improved mother-newborn bonding. Implementation of these actions is further associated with increased rates and duration of breastfeeding. This article explores the evidence supporting the Golden Hour and provides strategies for successfully implementing a Golden Hour protocol on a hospital-based labor and delivery unit.