At the Hospital or Birthing Center
Your world will change profoundly from the moment your new baby is placed in to your arms. And all your efforts in diet, exercise, and preparation will pay off once you see this sweet little bundle that is now yours to care for. Many couples plan the labor and delivery of their new baby for months. But once that baby is born, the real work will begin, and it is important for a new mom and baby to rest and recuperate as much as possible in the first few days after birth.
If you have decided to have your baby at home, you will benefit from the fact that all of your familiar comforts are already around you. And you won't be disrupted by hospital staff and other patients as you care for your baby. However, you may also be tempted to care for other chores like dishwashing and laundry when your focus should be on rest and your newborn.
If you have your baby in a hospital or birthing center, your subsequent stay will allow you time to relax and to regroup before you go home with your baby. Take advantage of any and all of the resources available to you there. Talk to your health care provider and the center or hospital staff about what you should expect of your body and how best you can both rest and bond with your baby during your stay.
Healing from Childbirth
Immediately after childbirth, you may feel contractions similar to menstrual cramps, as your uterus returns to its original size. These contractions may become more intense as you nurse your baby. These after-birth pains are perfectly normal and help you heal more quickly. Talk to your midwife or OB/GYN if the pain becomes intense or increases in severity.
Whether you had a vaginal or Cesarean delivery, you will be checked closely by your health care provider for the first few hours following the birth of your baby. As you recover, your urine output may be checked to ensure your kidneys and bladder are working properly. The staff will check any incisions that you had (from an episiotomy or a Cesarean) to make sure they are healing properly. Your blood pressure and the amount of bleeding will also be monitored as you recover.
Eighty percent of new moms experience a condition called the baby blues after their baby is born. Symptoms include exhaustion, sadness, and a feeling of helplessness. The baby blues usually dissipate after a few days. If you continue to experience these symptoms, in combination with mood swings, anxiety, and feeling of guilt or hopelessness, you may be experiencing a more serious condition called postpartum depression (PPD).
Postpartum depression usually begins two to three weeks after giving birth, but can start any time during the first few days, weeks, or months post-delivery. The condition affects 10 to 20 percent of new moms. It is a serious condition and you should talk to your health care provider about the best ways to alleviate it.
If you are hungry, go ahead and eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal to keep you healthy and boost your energy level. Drink lots of fluids. If possible, don't sit in one spot for very long. Get up, stretch your legs, and walk around a little bit (but don't push it) to improve your circulation and relieve soreness more quickly.
If your labor and delivery were normal, it is likely that you will be discharged within a day or two after your baby's birth. Use the time you have at the hospital to rest, heal, and bond with your baby.
Caring for Your Baby
If your baby was delivered via a routine vaginal birth, he will likely be placed directly on your abdomen afterward. He'll be dried off, covered with a warm towel or blanket and given a cap to keep him from losing heat through his head. Skin to skin contact between you and your baby will help you bond with your little one while you keep him warm.
After you deliver the placenta, your health care provider will clamp the umbilical cord in two places and then you or your partner can cut the cord between the two clamps. Your caregiver will collect a tube of blood from the cord to check your baby's blood type.
At one and five minutes after birth, your baby will be given an Apgar assessment to evaluate his heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflex response, and color. Your caregivers can do this assessment while your baby is resting on your belly.
If you had a nonmedicated delivery, it is likely that your baby will be very alert immediately after birth. So if you are both ready, now is a good time to try breastfeeding. If this is your first baby, don't be afraid to ask questions of the nurses or other hospital staff about the best ways to feed, diaper, and swaddle your baby. But don't forget to trust your own instincts either. This is your baby and you may be amazed at how quickly you begin to understand his needs.
The Apgar assessment is a simple test developed by anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar in 1952. It is used by modern hospitals worldwide to rate a baby's appearance, pulse, responsiveness, muscle activity, and breathing with a number between zero and two (with two being the strongest rating). The totaled numbers will determine if your baby needs further assessment.
Feeding your baby for the first time, whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, may feel a little scary. Take your time, breathe deeply, and trust in the knowledge that in no time at all, you and your baby will handle feedings like a couple of pros.
