After birth: the first 12 hours of a new mother

At the end of your term, you are in the middle of a questioning phase: will the delivery go well? What will happen after birth for my baby? For me?

That’s very normal..

All your worries are in the right place and every mom-to-be will think just the same way..

..it’s part of the amazing motherhood journey!

In this article, we will be talking about the first 12 hours after giving birth..

Stay tuned and let’s get started…

The first minute after birth

Your baby is showing his head. Exciting!

The midwife then injects you with oxytocin, a hormone that promotes contractions.

Why?

Since oxytocin helps your uterus to contract, the placenta will come off its walls more easily.

And in a little while, he will be more easily expelled…

Yes, you hear your baby crying!

Congratulations!!

 

15 min after birth

Phew! The birth went well…

After childbirth, the healthcare team must then be very small

You and your baby now need rest because, even with an epidural, childbirth is still a physical and psychological ordeal.

And it’s time to get to know each other!

The midwife wipes your baby and puts him on your tummy, for a first skin-to-skin. A sheet must cover you to keep you both warm.

While respecting this moment of intimacy, the obstetrician-gynecologist and the midwife discreetly monitor you.

Most importantly, they will check that you are not bleeding abnormally.

18 min after birth

You stay in the delivery room.

The team takes care of your baby without disturbing him. By observing the color of his skin and the rhythm of his breathing and making sure that everything is fine.

They also take your blood pressure to check that you both are recovering normally.

20 min after birth

Your baby is always on you, warm, in the palm of your chest..

Nothing sounds better than these moments..!

Now, with one hand, the midwife presses on your belly, at the level of the uterus, between the navel and the pubis..

..it’s a generally painless gesture, which allows the placenta to take off and promote its expulsion, just like the injection of oxytocin at the time of birth.

With the other hand, she gently pulls on the cord remaining at the level of the vulva and collects the placenta.

She examines it very carefully: it must be complete.

Indeed, a few pieces stuck to the wall of the uterus can cause bleeding from the delivery.

Midwives and obstetricians and gynecologists could wait for the placenta to come out spontaneously within half an hour of giving birth.

But to avoid any risk of hemorrhage it is recommended to be done directly after delivery.

But what if the placenta is not complete?

In this case, the midwife must then manually check that the uterus is empty.

You may also be given a catheter to empty your bladder. Because when it is full, it prevents the uterus from contracting and scarring.

25 min after birth

During childbirth, the birth attendant may have performed an episiotomy by incising the bottom of the vulva to facilitate the passage of the baby.

But if they did not, the exit of the child could have caused a tear in the perineal space, between the vulva and the anus, it must then be sewed up.

This repair takes place immediately after childbirth so that you can rest afterward.

Don’t worry about the pain, the epidural still works in most cases!

Otherwise, an anesthetic is added to the catheter that is still in place.

After the procedure, when the anesthesia wears off, the obstetrician-gynecologist will prescribe an anti-inflammatory suppository.

The midwife or obstetrician-gynecologist keeps an eye on your baby to make sure he is recovering well and breathing properly.

They take your blood pressure and temperature every few minutes!

Does it climb above 38 ° C?

No worries, blood and urine tests are done to check for possible infection.

While waiting for the results, the doctor will prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic that can fight different types of germs.

35 min after birth

Your baby quietly comforts himself against you.

If he does not catch your breast to suck it, a midwife or childcare assistant comes to help you both.

She will help him take the nipple to suck on the colostrum.

This first milk is rich in minerals, proteins, and maternal antibodies. And if you don’t want to breastfeed, she will help you in giving him the first bottle.

1 hour 30 minutes after birth

Before retiring to your room, your baby is measured, weighed, and examined carefully by the midwife.

Normally, all this is done near you, in the delivery room, in the presence of the dad as well.

During this time, you are slowly recovering.

2 hours after birth

It’s time for you to get back to your room.

The risk of bleeding during delivery is eliminated and you no longer need treatment.

If you have any questions or if it hurts, say so!

The midwife will give you analgesics based on paracetamol.

You might now feel hungry!

Depending on the time of day, you will be entitled to a meal tray… or a small snack.

6 hours after birth

Now, you will be thinking about breastfeeding..

Does the idea of breastfeeding mean anything to you?

Medicines that prevent the flow of milk are no longer given, but there are homeopathic treatments and grandmother’s remedies that can give you relief.

12 h after birth

If you feel yucky a half a day after birth, you can get up and take a shower.

Above all, Mommy. Take advantage of the time you have left in the hospital to rest, even if it means staying alone.

You need to be in a great mood for a smooth ride home…and start a new life!

Tests carried out within 24 hours after birth

From birth, the doctor will undertake a series of checks on your infant’s vital signs to check his breathing, heart rate, the color of his skin, muscle tone, reflex response, and color

This test, called the APGAR index test, is scored by numbers between 0 and 10 and relates to Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration…

Most babies get a result between 7 and 10. The test is repeated 5 minutes later to check the first result.

The latter may be significantly improved.

That being said..

He starts by checking the color of his skin.

In the seconds which follow the expulsion, your baby is not yet pink, but rather purple… It is just the time for the oxygen to reach the epidermis.

The pediatrician checks that it is neither too pale (sign of anemia) nor too red (excess red blood cells).

Then he carefully observes her face: it happens that the nose is a little deviated, which, in general, is due to the position of the baby in utero.

It will spontaneously resume its normal form .

Do not panic either in the event of spots: they are most often angiomas.

Flat and located in the middle of the face, they are not serious and fade naturally in the first three years.

The more irregular angiomas, on the other hand, tend to get bigger at first, but they will eventually disappear as well.

The pediatrician also checks that your baby’s skeleton has not suffered from childbirth.

It happens that the collarbone – a very thin bone – is fractured.

Don’t panic your little one will heal himself in a few weeks!

Above all, he must ensure the absence of congenital dislocation of the hip, a deformity linked to his position in utero.

If anything is noticed, an abduction swaddle must be used for three months. It helps keep the baby’s thighs apart.

Again, no need to worry, it is a painless treatment.

The doctor continues his examination by inspecting and palpating the sensitive area of the little girl or boy to check that there are no deformities.

It is common for a boy to be born with only one testicle in the purse. The second remained in the abdomen …

In most cases, it spontaneously “descends” during the first year.

Otherwise, a small surgical intervention will be necessary between 2 and 6 years.

Then the pediatrician listens to the heartbeat and auscultates the lungs before palpating the femoral artery (to ensure good blood circulation) and the abdomen..

Finally…

It is time to go home, Mommy

!

Click here for more information about the Basic Stages Of Baby Development

That’s it!

The baby has arrived! Now you have to take care of everything related to him..

About the author

 

Dema JS is the founder of newbabysmell.com and a mother of two little kids.
Dema had her MBA from St. John’s University- NYC in dual concentrations: Executive Management and Marketing Management.
Contact: Please email dema@newbabysmell.com or go to newbabysmell.com