Becoming a new mum is one of the most amazing times of your life, but it does take a bit of getting used to – and the first month can be pretty hectic.
If this is your first child, you may be wondering what to expect from the first four weeks of your newborn’s life, so here are six things you should be aware of:
Loss of weight
Babies can lose up to 10% of their birth weight in the first couple of weeks. This is due to the fact that they are born with a lot of body fluid, and some can struggle to establish a feeding schedule. However, they should stabilise and start to gain weight before the end of their first month.
Lots of sleep
For the first few weeks, your newborn will sleep, a lot - some can sleep for up to 16 hours a day. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily through the night as they have yet to adjust to a day and night cycle.
Lots of feeding
Don’t be surprised if your little one feeds a lot during the first few weeks. In fact, many breastfed infants can feed up to 12 times a day, while bottlefed ones are likely to want a feed up to eight times.
Focus with their eyes
When your little one is born, their eyes are quite fuzzy and may even cross as they have yet to develop full control of them. They can focus on things about 12 inches away and will prefer to look at your face rather than a toy as they are naturally inclined to gravitate towards a human.
Cold hands
Your little one’s hand are likely to stay clasped for the first few days or even weeks. This is the way they were in the womb and it may take some time for them to loosen up. You might also find that their fingers and plams are quite cold, but, as long as they are pink, you don’t have to worry. Their circulation is still developing and hands and feet are the last place to get good blood flow.
Little sneezes
If your little one is sneezing quite a lot, don’t worry, it is just their way of clearing out their nasal passage. You will notice it usually occurs after feeding or sleeping.
