You have just gone through the ups and downs of pregnancy and now you finally get to hold your baby face to face. Hence, the first few weeks may need some getting used to as you now have an additional person to take care off. Below are some of the things you may expect to encounter during the first 6 weeks with your baby.
1st week
You may still feel sore and tired and still recovering from the effects of labor. All attention is normally on the baby as everyone tries to settle down into a new routine. Do not be surprise to see that your baby is losing weight during the first week. This is normal.
2nd week
Some mothers are still feeling tired and more attention is needed to take care of their health. Good nutrition and enough sleep and rest is important but may be difficult to acquire. If you get any assistance from family members, it would be very helpful to you. Hiring a nanny or a companion is not uncommon nowadays especially for the first few weeks to assist in taking care of the newborn. Your baby will be sleeping a lot around this time, 15 – 16 hours a day.
3rd week
You will know your baby’s routine by now and you have learned to do your own things when the baby is sleeping. Your baby will want to feed often and will also be more alert. Some babies may also start to display signs of having colic around this time. He may be crying for more than 3 hours a day, for more than 3 days a week.
4th week
This week, you may feel like going out with your baby as you should be feeling strong and fully recovered. You and your baby will have settled down to a daily routine and you may notice your baby’s sleeping pattern as well. Prepare a carryall bag to keep all the necessary baby stuffs you think that is needed for an outing. Going out will become faster and easier as you just need to grab the bag each time.
photo credit: Bjørn Giesenbauer
5th week
Generally, you should be feeling happy and energetic. However, if you find that you are feeling down, tearful, unable to sleep and worry a lot, you may have Post Natal Depression (PND). Talk to your doctor about your symptoms for advice. Your baby will be making a lot of eye contact and loves to hear your voice. Learn to differentiate your baby’s cries on whether he is hungry, tired or in pain.
6th week
By this time, you should be feeling in control of your life once more. You may want to give more attention to the other areas of your life, for example your relationship with your partner. Your baby will love playing and interacting with you. Most babies will also start to sleep for 5 to 6 hours at night.
Personally, the first four weeks were normally tough for me. Feeling tired and sleepy are common and all activities centered around the baby. On top of that, the baby has not learned to sleep through the night yet and hence, sleep was only 2 – 3 hours at a stretch each night.
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