Mother and baby: What to expect after birth
Giving birth to a baby is the most beautiful feeling on earth for most mothers. You are welcoming a new life into this world and the parents are excited, but at the same time apprehensive as to what is in store in the coming days. The first few weeks after the baby is born ares very crucial, and it's a time of great change for you and your partner. You need to be prepared well in advance. Your assigned doctor or midwife will advice you on what to expect immediately after birth. Follow it carefully and you will have no trouble. Here are some of the things you will encounter once the baby is born.
1. Body changes
a. Your body is slowly but surely getting adjusted to the new changes.
b. Your tummy would have reduced in size, but not back to how it was before.
c. Your breasts would also increase in size because of the milk produced, sometimes causing a bit of pain and uncomfortable feeling, but it would subside soon.
d. Your uterus would shed a great deal of its lining in the form of vaginal discharges for a few weeks. It would initially be blood red in color, slowly changing to pink and then ultimately a cream in color. You can wear sanitary napkins to avoid staining clothes.
e. You may also feel labor-like pains in your uterus as an aftermath of the uterus contracting.
f. With your body getting rid of all the extra blood and fluid, you may notice that you are sweating and urinating much more. Swelling of ankles is also another change that you might come across.
2. Emotional changes
a. At this time, you will go through certain emotional phases as the whole reality of the baby is more real.
b. You may go through phases of confusion, wonderment, exhaustion and nerves, without being too sure, and sometimes all in the same day. They are known as baby blues and is very common in new moms.
c. You may also weep, but must realize it is not post-natal depression and there is nothing to worry about. It should not last for more than a few days.
3. Taking care
The midwife should check on you once you and the baby are brought home. Checking the stitches, if any, giving advice on small issues, instructions on breast feeding, and generally dealing with how you are coping with the new baby are some of the things midwives do. Make sure you ask all your doubts when the midwife visits. Also take down contact details in case you require help outside normal working hours.
4. Feeding the newborn baby
a. Feeding them is a priority. Keep them skin to skin while breast feeding and establish contact.
b. Most newborn babies sleep for long periods initially. Others stay awake and are more alert. The babies that sleep longer need to be prompted and encouraged a bit to be fed.
5. Health
a. Routine checks are done to make sure the baby is healthy. Soon after the baby is born, the midwife or doctor will check the heart, and test some of the reflexes. Hip joints would also be checked to see if they work as they should do.
b. The baby will be given vitamin K soon after birth, either a shot or orally. This prevents a rare condition called phenylketonuria.
c. Babies usually have mild jaundice in the first week after birth. If the doctors realize there is a problem, they might test the blood to check the level of infection.
d. The skin of newborn babies sometimes carry a waxy white coating called vernix. This will shed in the couple of hours after the baby is born and it will become much smoother.
5. Exercise
a. Even though you are not allowed to start working out in full swing, there are some exercises that you can do once you have had your baby.
b. Pelvic floor exercises can be started as soon as you are up to it, even from the next day after delivery.
c. Lower tummy exercise is also a good start if you want to speed up getting your tummy back in shape.
d. Caesarian deliveries make it a tad difficult to do exercise. So wait a few weeks before you start working out.
e. Simple walks in the park with your baby in a stroller can be a slow start, but as you feel more fit, increase the pace and duration.
