Baby 1 week

Baby 1 week

Welcome to the world!

What an amazing creature you now hold in your arms! A tiny little human being who is getting to know life outside the womb – a life that can be quite overwhelming. From living protected in the womb in complete harmony, the baby is now experiencing cold, hunger and strong sensory impressions for the first time. The most important thing in a newborn's life right now is to be fed and to feel close to and secure with an adult, preferably skin to skin so that the baby can feel your heartbeat. Perhaps the baby will sleep most of the time during the first few days, or perhaps they will be completely focused on feeding around the clock. How small babies react to the big change to life outside the womb can vary greatly. If you have changed the first nappy yet, you have probably noticed that the first poo is more like black tar. It can be difficult to remove, but it becomes easier if you use a little baby oil on the bum. Within a few days, once the baby has started breastfeeding or bottle feeding, the poo will also change colour.

Parent

Congratulations!

The birth is now over and you have become a parent! Meeting your baby for the first time is a huge event filled with emotions, and for many people, the initial period after giving birth is a time of adjustment – regardless of whether the birth was easy, difficult or somewhere in between. It can often be beneficial to talk about what has happened with loved ones and the healthcare professionals who were there. It is completely normal and healthy to want to talk about what you have just been through over and over again! It is even an important part of the perhaps long process of settling into your new role as a parent. Perhaps there is a sibling who has been waiting impatiently, and perhaps there is also a worry in the parent's heart about how to cope? Changing your routines can be a bit of a challenge, but try to find peace in the knowledge that hearts are made to hold endless amounts of love – which helps along the way. Another thing that may be important to know is that it is also very common to feel a little down and even depressed for a few days after giving birth. This is known as the baby blues and is caused, among other things, by a significant hormonal change. It is important to know that you should feel better within a week or so. If you don't, talk to your child health centre, who can help you with support.