For a tiny newborn who’s just made the incredible journey from womb to world, the first 72 hours are an enormous transition.
You may have planned your pregnancy with careful precision, but the days after your first baby arrives are almost impossible to draw up a timetable for.
Our advice? Throw away the rule book, find a comfy spot, sit back, relax and get to grips with your new role as a parent in a no-pressure environment.
Here are three things to remember about the first 72 hours:
Hours 1 – 8: Give yourself some space
Despite the best laid plans, birth can be unpredictable so aim to give yourself the space and peace to take back control and get to know your baby on your own terms. Decide ahead of time if you’d rather introduce your baby to friends and family at the hospital or at home and make everyone aware of your wishes. Keeping those first precious hours to bond with your baby, put your own needs first and get to grips with skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding etc. without an audience could be a less stressful plan, particularly if you have a large, excitable family! There will be plenty of opportunities to meet the gang later.
Babies are usually exhausted in these early hours so you may even have to wake them for a feed. Try to get some shut-eye yourself at this stage too.
Hours 8-24: Create a cocoon
Babies tend to be a little bit fussier on the second day than they were immediately after birth. This is their way of getting a handle on their crying patterns (so they can let you know exactly what they need and when!) and adapting to their new, rather uncomfortable world. They also cry to block out overpowering sounds and visual stimulation so listen carefully and try to decipher the cues.
Tip: Infants often begin to cluster feed to stimulate mum’s milk production. Have a decent nipple cream on hand for the feeding frenzy!
If all is well with your health and your baby has been given the all-clear at the hospital, you’ll likely be going home today. Once you land, get cosy, eat well and stay hydrated. Create a little cocoon for you and your baby to live in during the so-called Fourth Trimester.
Hours 24- 48: Surround yourself with support
Day Three and Four after the birth of your baby can be an emotional roller coaster so make sure you have some support from those closest to you. A combination of surging hormones and sleep deprivation, worrying, nappy changing and feed tracking could make you weepy and anxious. You may be tired and sore and overwhelmed. Don’t worry, this is only likely to last a few days but do mention it to your public health nurse if it’s proving difficult to shake.
Take advantage of all those willing babysitters in your living room and enjoy a long shower or a short stroll in the fresh air. Remember: Looking after yourself will help you look after baby.
Hours 48-72: Trust your instincts
Sure, you might be suffering from mild exhaustion and still sitting on a rubber ring to protect your post-birth bits, but all in all; you got this, Mama!
New parenthood is a steep learning curve and by now, you’ll have gotten to grips with the scariest part. While there’s no need to try and get your baby into a routine at this early stage, make sure you have a vague schedule that includes some precious ‘me time’ for you and a bit of fresh air daily.
That burst of oxygen will make all the difference to your mood. Our advice? Use it to stroll to the local coffee shop for an extra large mocha.
To find out more about choosing the best nappies for your baby, visit the Pampers website.
