Article Categories
News
-
20 July
-
04 November
-
10 July
-
12 June
-
05 June
-
24 September
-
19 September
-
10 May
-
26 April
Website Categories
How you'll feel in the first 24 hours of being a mum
How will I feel in the first 24 hours at home with my baby?
You could feel a whole range of emotions – from blank exhaustion to total elation. If this is your first baby, it may even feel a little strange to be home. You may have an overwhelming sensation that life has changed forever. What was exclusively an adult home before the birth is now your family home, complete with the extra little person you've brought into the world.
However much you've prepared yourself, by buying all the baby stuff and contemplating parenthood, you may still find you have to make a huge adjustment. You may even feel a little anticlimactic.
One thing plenty of new mums feel, though, is worry about how their newborn is doing. It's perfectly normal to spend hours watching your baby, not just to revel in his perfect features, but to check that he's breathing all right! Oh, and forget night and day. You'll be focused on supplying your tiny baby's needs, and that's a round-the-clock job in the early days.
You may have fallen utterly in love with your baby straight after the birth. But it's also perfectly normal if you need a little time to develop that deep attachment. You may simply feel too tired after your baby's birth to bond with her straight away. Or perhaps you had a long labour, or a difficult birth, and this has affected your feelings.
Take things slowly, and try to have as much skin-to-skin contact as you can with your baby. Your newborn has a powerful sense of smell and touch, and will love nuzzling with you and bonding in this way.
Depending on how your birth went, you may or may not have a visit from your midwife in the first 24 hours you're home. But if you have any questions, do call your midwife. She'll be expecting to get calls from new mums.
What will happen to my body?
Your body has done an amazing job of bringing your baby into the world. So it's normal to feel worn out, sore, and a bit weepy. This is all a reflection that over the next few days your body will go through big changes. That's the case however you gave birth and however you plan to feed your baby.
You'll experience bleeding, called lochia, which will be like a heavy period at first. The bleeding should tail off after six weeks. You'll probably need to wear a sanitary towel for heavy days to absorb the flow of blood.
Many women experience constipation after their baby's birth. Try to eat high-fibre foods, and drink plenty of water. If things don't improve, you could ask your midwife to recommend a laxative or stool softener.
Your body is dealing with fluctuating hormone levels, and is seriously sleep-deprived, while your mind is adjusting to this new stage of life. Try not to let these discomforts get you down. You've gone through an amazing nine-month journey, so give yourself some time to recover.
What will happen to my breasts when I start breastfeeding?
If you're breastfeeding, your breasts will continue to produce colostrum, the antibody-rich first food that gives your baby an immunity and protein boost. Your milk won't come in for a few days yet, and may take longer if you've had a caesarean. You'll notice your breasts becoming noticeably fuller, firmer and heavier in readiness.
Many people assume that breastfeeding comes naturally, but it's normal to hit some bumps in the road – especially early on. Even if you were coached by a midwife at the hospital, you may need more help after you head home.
With help, you'll start to learn the finer points, from getting the perfect latch to finding your favourite hold.
For some mums, getting breastfeeding started can make their nipples sore. Try different positions to prevent aching and cracking.
You can apply pure lanolin cream after breastfeeding, which doesn't need to be removed before feeding again. You can also use drops of expressed breast milk as a natural nipple moisturiser. But do bear in mind that breastfeeding shouldn't be painful. If your nipples are sore, it's probably a sign that your baby is not getting a good latch. Ask your midwife for help or to recommend a breastfeeding counsellor.
What will happen to my breasts if I decide to formula feed?
If you're feeding your baby with formula, get advice from your midwife or a breastfeeding specialist about the best way to suppress lactation. Your body has started the production process, and it will need time to shut it down again.
When your milk comes in, you may find your breasts get uncomfortably full. This is called engorgement. The discomfort should peak about three days to five days after giving birth and then taper off.
To deal with the temporary pain, try over-the-counter pain relievers, ice packs and a supportive bra. If the engorgement is very severe, you may need to express a little milk by hand to relieve the tension in your breasts. Your midwife will show you how to do this.
How will my body feel after a vaginal birth?
If you had a vaginal birth, you'll probably be quite sore. If you had a tear or an episiotomy it may be particularly painful. Apply a cloth-covered ice pack to the area to reduce swelling, and sit on a cushion or inflatable ring if it helps. When you do a wee, you could pour warm water from a bottle or jug to soothe and clean the area instead of wiping, which can be painful.
Try not worry if you leak wee, or lose the feeling for when you need to go. This won't last. It's caused by the nerves that connect to your pelvic floor muscles being stretched during your baby's birth.
You can strengthen your pelvic floor muscles by doing pelvic floor exercises. At first, you may not feel much when you do the exercises. You may not be able to do much more than twitch your muscles. Although you'll be very busy with your baby, do try to remember to do your exercises every day.
How will my body feel after a caesarean birth?
A caesarean is major abdominal surgery. You may need help with doing almost everything for at least a week, and you should avoid picking up anything heavier than your baby. But your midwife will encourage you to get up and move around a little. This will help you to speed up your recovery.
As with any surgery, moving around helps to prevent blood clots developing. Also, if you stay still for a long period, the pain is likely to be worse when you do move.
Your wound dressing will be taken off the day after your caesarean. Keep an eye on your wound for signs of infection. Call your midwife if you notice blood or pus coming from the incision, or if it smells unpleasant. These could be signs of an infection or a blood clot.
Why do I feel unhappy and irritable?
Bringing home a baby is a life-altering change, and you shouldn't expect to adapt to it the moment you walk through the door. In fact, it may take anywhere from a few days to a few months to get your bearings. While you're navigating this huge adjustment, try to let go of your fixed ideas about how things should be, and enjoy how things are.
A whole host of different hormones are surging through your body as you experience all of these changes. In these first few days, you may experience the baby blues. Somewhere between five and eight mums out of every 10 get the baby blues at some point. Luckily, the baby blues are short-lived, and usually fade within two weeks.
Don't be shy about asking for help, or for a friendly ear. Enlist your partner, family and friends to take on chores like shopping, cooking and washing.
If you continue to feel unhappy, watch out for signs of postnatal depression and make sure you get help. Talk to your health visitor or doctor about how you're feeling. They are there to support you.
Related articles
Parenting is no easy task, and for Jordan and Briana Driskell, raising their quintuplets—Zoey, Dakota, Hollyn, Asher, and Gavin&mdash...
Read moreFocus on back to school - include a free...
Emma Wallace
The summer holidays are drawing to a close and September sees pupils heading back to the classroom. Alongside buying new uniform and statio...
Read more
A Starbucks employee went viral after sharing a video where they broke down in tears due to being scheduled for an eight-hour shift. ...
Read more0 comments
No messages yet