eli5 Why is it important that the baby cries after birth

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I saw a reel on how african doctors will slap the baby for them to cry and i know for a fact that this is true and there must be a reason behind it but i just don’t get it

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Not a doc, but I have heard that the babies first breath is also their hardest to take. The lungs are two deflated wet sacks, and inflating them requires more effort. So slapping their back causes the babies to gasp, and that sharp inhale helps inflate the lungs for the first time.

More than willing to be wrong, but it sure sounds plausible.

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