the9months

Baby’s first days: crying

Your baby may not cry much while both of you are in the hospital, or you may not notice his crying while people are around to help you. Once you get home, it may seem as if he is crying more than when he was in the hospital, and he may be, as he is becoming more awake. Generally your baby will cry when he is hungry and will settle down when you feed him. A baby will also cry when he is tired, and you will discover how to soothe your baby to sleep, whether by rocking, patting his back, or walking with him. (more…)

Baby’s first days: feeding

Soon after your baby is born—within minutes if you are breastfeeding—you will be feeding your baby. Right after birth, you will be given the baby to hold; whether or not you are nursing, holding the baby skin-to-skin can have benefits. You may try to nurse at this point, but don’t be surprised if your baby is too tired. Within a few hours, she will be ready to nurse or to take a little bit of a bottle if you are not breastfeeding.

Even if you have prepared for nursing by taking classes and reading books, you may have difficulty getting the baby to latch on at first. (more…)

Baby’s first days: sleeping

While you and your baby are in the hospital, your baby will likely spend most of her time sleeping. The average newborn baby spends 18-20 hours a day sleeping. When she wakes, she will cry periodically to eat but will not eat very much before falling back to sleep. This pattern may continue after you go home, or the baby may be awake more each day. It is hard to control a newborn’s sleep schedule, so don’t expect regular naps; she will eat and sleep when she needs to (do check with your pediatrician to see if you should wake your baby for feedings in the first days). Over several weeks or even longer, she is likely to fall into a two-nap-a-day schedule, waking only to eat during the night. (more…)

Baby’s first days: basic care

Once your baby is born, we will prepare you for what you need to know before you leave the hospital. You will learn how to feed, burp, hold, diaper, bathe, and swaddle your baby and how to keep the umbilical cord clean and dry until it falls off. You already know that your baby must always be in the right size car seat, but you should also know that your baby must never be left in the car while you do an errand, particularly because of the risk of heat stroke. In a recent study, researchers found that even when the day was a comfortable 72 degrees and the windows were cracked open eight inches, the temperature inside the car can increase 40 degrees, with most of that increase occurring in the first 15 to 30 minutes. (more…)

Catching your breath

You’re nearly there now; just a few more weeks and your baby will be in your arms. Is it all moving so fast that you feel out of breath? Actually, your uterus has grown so high now that your lungs have less room to expand. You may be short of breath from time to time until your baby’s head moves down into your pelvis just before birth. If you feel short of breath, try moving a little more slowly, so your heart and lungs don’t have to work so hard. Sleeping with your head, shoulders, and chest raised up will reduce heartburn and also help you to draw fuller breaths. (more…)