The First Week with your Baby

The first week of your baby's life brings big adjustments for
both of you. You are adjusting to being a mother and caring for
your baby and your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb.
It is a time of great joy -- and possibly immense fear! Although
you've been preparing for the birth of your baby for months, now
he is here and depending on you for everything which can seem
overwhelming. Don't expect too much of yourself during these
first days! If anyone offers you help -- take it! During your
baby's first few weeks of life, he will be concentrating on
getting to know you and his surroundings. Your baby needs to be
handled so that life outside the womb seems as little different
as possible to life inside the womb. Your baby's needs, while
they may seem overwhelming to you, are really simple: food,
warmth and comfort from cuddling. Wrap him snugly and warmly,
hold him closely, handle him slowly, and feed him when he's
hungry. Your baby will have the routing and sucking reflexes as
well as tongue thrust. These are needed to get nourishment from
the breast or bottle. You can also use this time to bond with
your baby with lots of skin to skin contact. Whether you decide
to breast or bottle feed, feeding in the first few weeks is not
an effortless process. Try to have early feeding sessions in a
quiet setting with as few distractions as possible. Make sure
you are in a comfortable position as it takes new babies a while
to eat and you don't want to end up stiff and sore. Cuddle and
caress your baby as feeding time is a wonderful opportunity to
show your baby how much he is loved. 

If you are breastfeeding, be patient while you and your baby are
getting the hang of it! The benefits of breastfeeding are many
and in order for it to be successful, it is important to start
out right. Keep in mind though it may take several weeks until
you both feel comfortable and get a feeding schedule down. 

Most new moms feel and experience: 

Exhaustion! Bloody vaginal discharge for the first week or so
Discomfort or pain in the perineal area if you had a vaginal
delivery Incision pain or numbness if you had a cesarean
delivery Abdominal cramping (afterpains) as the uterus contracts
Elation or depression or swings between both Breast discomfort
or engorgement Fears about your adequacy as a mother Profuse
sweating after the first couple of days Although it may be
tempting to try to be a 'supermom', now is not the time. The
best advice that I received as an new mom was to accept the help
of others, eat regular meals and sleep when the baby sleeps. Now
it's my turn to pass that advice on to you.