BECOMING A MOTHER
Immediately after the birth you’ll probably be tired, but many women feel elated and full of energy. Everyone reacts differently, if you’re in hospital there will be the ward routines to deal with, but once you’re home, you can enjoy the peace and security of familiar surroundings, and get to know your baby. Life for the next few weeks will revolve around the baby, but in time both of you, together with your partner and any of other children should begin to adjust to a more settled routine.
YOUR NEW BABY
At birth, your baby may have lots of hair, or be quite bald. He/She may not look quite as you expected, but as the days go by any marks or bruising from the birth will fade. The content of your baby’s first bowel movement after birth is called meconium, a dark, greenish, stick substance. This will change gradually to more bowel movements once feeding starts.
Immediately after birth, your baby will be tested and given an Apgar score, this is the indication of her general well being. Later on she’ll be weighed and measured; your medwife will continue to do this regularly for next 10 days. The doctor will give your baby a general examination to check for abnormalities and her hearing will be checked. Around the sixth day after birth, a blood sample is taken from your baby’s heel. This cheeks for PKU (phenylketonuria) and congenital hypothyroidism, both of which are rare causes of mental disablitiy that can be treated if detected.
