When the baby is finally here – This happens after the birth

The birth of a child is a very special experience for the new parents. After nine months of waiting, the baby is finally born – and turns his parents’ lives upside down. Here you can find out what changes with a baby and how it develops in the first few months. 

The birth – the adventure begins

After nine months of pregnancy, the time has finally come, the birth of your baby is imminent. But until the child is born, it can take many hours.

when it starts

An imminent birth is indicated by preliminary labor pains, with which the body prepares for the event. They vary in strength and occur irregularly. Only then do the birth pangs gradually set in. They are more painful than pre-pains and much more regular. The intervals between contractions become shorter over time, but the duration becomes longer. Labor pains cause the cervix to dilate to accommodate the baby.

The contractions push it further and further into the pelvis. If the cervix is ​​already dilated, the amniotic sac will burst. Once it is fully open, the baby can be born. During this phase of birth, the mother-to-be helps the child on its way out by pushing along. With a few pressing contractions, it’s soon done, the child is born.

After birth

Many important things happen in the first few hours after birth . Immediately after delivery, the midwife places the baby on its mother’s breast – the first encounter and the beginning of an intimate parent-child relationship. This is a very exciting moment for parents.

Another event is the cutting of the umbilical cord. The baby is now finally separated from the womb. There is blood in the umbilical cord that is being examined. You can donate this blood and there are a number of good reasons for this : The blood contains stem cells that can still transform into a wide variety of body cells. Diseases such as blood, bone or lymphatic cancer are treated with these cells. The donation process is completely free of pain and risk, but it can save other people’s lives.

After birth, your baby will be thoroughly examined, first with the Apgar test, which is performed three times, and then with the midwife’s scrutiny. She takes a close look at the child’s body and measures its height and weight. The baby is then bathed and dressed. Then the mother can breastfeed her baby for the first time. With the “first milk” she transmits antibodies to the child, the so-called nest protection. This protects the baby from diseases and bridges the period until the baby’s immune system begins to build up.

That’s going to change

After the birth of your child, many things will change. There are some challenges you will face as a new mom. They mainly affect your daily rhythm and your body.

lack of sleep

The lack of sleep, which turns into a faithful companion after birth, is particularly hard. Once the baby is born, you will have little sleep for a long time. Your baby first has to get used to a sleep rhythm, which gradually levels off after a few weeks.

Nevertheless, your baby is hungry and full diapers at night. Sometimes babies cry for hours and won’t be soothed. Especially at night, that drains your energy. Stomach pain, illness-related complaints and later the first teeth are the most common causes.

leisure

As soon as the baby is here, your daily routine will depend primarily on its rhythm and needs. This will also improve your leisure time activities

Instead of my own hobbies, going for a walk with the baby in the pram is now the top priority. Meeting other mothers and their children, baby swimming and toddler groups will become your new leisure activities.

If your baby is a bit older, you can start integrating your hobbies back into your everyday life. This also applies to your social contacts, which unfortunately have to hold back a little in the beginning.

Your own body

One of the biggest challenges moms face after giving birth is their own body. It will initially feel and look different: the belly that stretched during pregnancy is now saggy and wrinkled. The vagina is also enlarged during childbirth. It will feel strange at first because the pelvic floor muscles are still weak.

The changes last for a few months, after all your body has to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. The onset of recovery processes ensure that your body gradually regains its original shape. With the right tricks you can relieve pain that occurs during this time and support your body.

Stretch marks on the breasts and abdomen fade over time with good skin care and the pelvic floor muscles are strengthened again through targeted exercises. The breasts only become smaller again after breastfeeding.

Baby’s development in the first months

After birth, your baby develops a little further every day. In the first few months in particular, it learns at breakneck speed and turns from a newborn baby into a bright, curious baby that wants to explore its environment.

 The first days with children

When mother and child are allowed to leave the hospital and come home, some exciting days begin – the first days as a family. In order for family life to get off to a good start, rest is very important. You should take one to two weeks for your baby and block out the rest of the world for the time being.

During this time, you will get to know each other better and you will develop a close bond with your baby. In addition, breastfeeding also needs to be learned or you first have to find the right rhythm for the bottle feedings. Processes such as diaper changing and baby care have to be adjusted, as well as the new sleeping rhythm and the daily routine, which is now constantly changing due to the baby.

In between, recovery from the strains of childbirth is announced. But applying for important documents are also on the plan in the first week after the birth. This includes the birth certificate and the application for maternity benefit. In addition, the employer must be informed of the birth and the child must be registered with the health insurance company.

Your baby learns this by the third month

Eating and sleeping are your baby’s main activities for the first four weeks. The movements as well as the sensory perceptions are still very limited: the hearing is not yet fully developed and the range of vision is only 30 centimeters. Babies also see everything blurred at first.

But thanks to their early childhood reflexes (e.g. sucking and swallowing reflex, respiratory protection reflex and grasping reflex), babies are well equipped for life even in the first few weeks. In the course of development, these reflexes recede. In their place are movements and skills that your baby can carry out more independently and in a controlled manner from month to month.

As early as the second month, they begin to reach for objects in a more targeted manner. They perceive their own movements more and more consciously and intensively, the sensory perception gradually improves. In addition to the sense of touch, hearing and seeing are also much better developed. With cooing and gurgling sounds, babies are now doing their first speaking exercises.

From the third month, babies become really active. Lying down, they kick their legs like crazy. In this way, they strengthen their leg muscles – an important prerequisite for later learning to crawl and walk . Sitting is also being practiced. Babies also bend their legs when they lie on their backs.

In general, babies develop a keen interest in their caregivers and their surroundings in the first few months. They observe and feel whatever they can to get to know the world better.