Starting Mama Life: A Baby’s First 24 Hours of Life

Family

On the day when you are going home to bring your child from the hospital after birth, your life as a mother will start at last.

While in the hospital, doctors breastfeeding around to assist, but things may get uneasy when alone with your baby. There may be times when you may wonder if the baby is sleeping too much, or if you are feeding him/her too much.

A week after returning from the hospital, the baby cannot distinguish between day and night and you cannot play or laugh with him/her yet. During this period, you can mainly take care of yourself, breastfeed and diaper change your baby, and figure out what he/she needs whenever he/she cries.

So to help new moms with their newborn at home, we have summarized the following things:

Breast-feeding

Newborns want to feed every two to three hours. When a nipple touches his/her mouth, he/she begins to drink by himself/herself. So wait for him/her to finish drinking while holding him/her gently.

The breasts get replenished with milk in about 30 to 60 minutes after feeding. However, since the mother is inexperienced with breastfeeding and the baby’s breathing may be hampered, be careful and always check the baby’s breathing while feeding especially when you are co-sleeping with the baby.

If you do not have enough mother’s milk, consider supplementing with milk powder.

 

Breastfeeding is mommy and baby bonding time. Take a rest and recover from fatigue in-between feedings, but while breastfeeding, talk to your baby. Look at baby’s eyes and say “delicious!”, and “drink some more!”.

Sleep

A newborn sleeps most of the day. There is no such thing as “sleeping too much” so don’t worry. However, he/she wakes up every 2 to 3 hours to feed, so sleeping time is usually short. The baby’s routine is to wake up, feed, sleep and repeat. When the baby is sound asleep, rest your body.

The interval at which the baby wakes up depends on the occasion. You will be worried if you fall asleep beyond feeding time, but you do not need to wake up and breastfeed. Sleep until you wake up at your own pace.

On the other hand, if the interval is too short, it is also a sign of not feeding the baby enough. So observe closely how the baby’s feeding and sleep cycles go.

Diapers

Digestive organs are underdeveloped in babies, and they frequently piss and poo. Many moms are surprised that nappies are always wet every time they feed. Changing diapers, even up to ten times a day, is normal, so check frequently and keep your baby clean.

Take note that your baby’s skin is very sensitive and delicate, so any breathable or absorbable diaper must be changed as soon as it gets wet. Click here for steps and tips!

When changing diapers, make it a positive experience for the baby by talking to him/her and saying, “That feels good!”.

Cry

Crying is a baby’s job. Apart from the hunger and discomfort, he/she tries to cry to inform you when it’s hot or cold, sleepy, in pain, and when he/she wants you to hold him/her.

The baby’s crying at this time is still weak and sounds adorable, but when you are breastfeeding or changing diapers, and he/she will not stop crying, you will not know what to do. If you can’t figure out why the baby does not stop crying, try to distract the baby and change his/her mood with sound, toys, etc.

Also, if the mother is irritated or feeling depressed, the baby may sense it. Because babies sometimes go on crying unnecessarily, it helps them to be relaxed and remain in a good mood when trying to calm a baby.

Summary

Mothers’ fatigue easily accumulates with a baby who is alternately sleeping and crying for 24 hours every day. Try to figure out what your baby needs calmly and let daddy and/or your family help out.

Enjoy your baby’s growth and savor the changes that come with the experience of being a mother.

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