Whether you stayed at the hospital for 48 hours or for several days—or had an easy or difficult birth—coming home can be tiring and emotional. It’s important that you do no more than rest, sleep, hold and feed your baby right now.
We hope you have a supportive partner, family or friends to take care of you—to make sure that you:
- Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water a day.
- Eat healthy meals.
- Stay in bed or in a comfortable chair for much of the day.
- Feel loved and comforted.
All of this helps you recover and adjust to the rhythms and needs of your new baby.
The Early Care of Newborns
You’ll learn much of what you need to know about your newborn simply by keeping him close, watching and loving him:
- During the first 2 weeks after birth, your arms, breasts, voice, scent and motion are your baby’s home, just as your womb was during pregnancy.
- As her body learns to steady its heartbeat, breathing, appetite and temperature, your baby needs your help eating, burping, staying warm, waking and going to sleep.
- Your little one exists outside your body now, but you’re still not quite separate people. This feeling of oneness can be a powerful sort of bliss—or it can feel limiting. Both are common feelings as you adjust to motherhood.
See also ...
This message is not intended to provide individual medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have about your health or medical condition, your breastfeeding issues and your infant's health. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you have read in our emails, webpages or other electronic communications.
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