LivingWhat nobody tells you about the first 24 hours...

What nobody tells you about the first 24 hours with your baby

There is no appointment that instills a more intense mix of feelings than the birth of your baby. Nine months of waiting, childbirth (which is one of the most complex moments a woman can experience), and the face-to-face encounter with that little person you’ve dreamed of so many times and who is now finally in your arms. , is the prelude to an unforgettable period of time , due to the amount of emotions that it brings behind it.

After seven years of having lived it for the first time, I can assure you that I have not needed to make much memory because those 24 hours remained etched in my memory . I won’t talk about the second time because (at least in my case), they were different knowing what I was up against:

You will not be able to believe that such a small baby is yours

The change from being pregnant to having the baby is so incredible that it takes time to assimilate that he (or she) is already here and that you are indeed his mother. When in the hospital a nurse or doctor says to you ” hello, mom, how are you feeling?”, it sounds very strange to you. “Mom” … that word that raises you to a level where you feel suddenly with 400 kg of responsibility on your back just by listening to it.

You won’t be able to stop looking at it

I couldn’t, of course. My baby was also so tiny that it seemed to me the most fragile and the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life . I think it’s the normal reaction you have when something seems unbelievable to you, like its existence.

Love can arise immediately… or not

It seems that all mothers should feel that we are dying of love for that baby that has just been born, but not all of us -and not all of us- it happens: not feeling that connection that makes you call him “the love of my life” (phrase that appears in 99% of photos of new mothers on Instagram, especially if they are famous), it may not come up right away.

However, we should not feel weird (much less guilty) because it is absolutely normal. There is no specific moment in which you should feel that explosion of feelings for your baby , which may depend, among other things, on the type of delivery we have had: if it was traumatic, if we have been separated from him for many hours, or if this It has been very long and exhaustion overcomes you. Love will emerge little by little and you will not have to force it, until you understand how you have been able to live without him (or her)

You will feel fear for not knowing how to act as expected

Little is said about those moments when the baby needs something -call it a diaper change, food or whatever- and everyone, from your partner, mother-in-law, mother or healthcare provider, wants you to know exactly what, when and how to do it. That pressure can become really overwhelming. But calm down, do not let yourself be influenced and follow your instinct. You will learn.

Breastfeeding will generate sensations that you have never experienced

With this I do not mean that these sensations are good or bad, because each person is a world and the circumstances surrounding breastfeeding (such as the type of delivery you have had or if at the time of giving birth you still had doubts if breastfeed or not), make it a unique experience. What I can assure you is that it is amazing to see how your newborn baby feeds on you.

If you have doubts, the baby does not latch on and cries, or it hurts, do not hesitate to ask the nurse or a lactation consultant to help you in the first steps. The first milk that will come out is colostrum, a serous and yellowish liquid that is liquid gold for your baby due to its immunological properties (so much so that it is called “the first vaccine”). Don’t think that doesn’t feed him.

You will be (very) surprised when you see your baby’s first poop

Despite reading a lot about motherhood during pregnancy, I think I missed the meconium part. You are with the first poops that the baby makes , greenish, pasty and quite unpleasant, and if you do not know that this is normal, you may get a good scare thinking that something is wrong with the baby (true).

you can only sleep

We have all been told many times, but generally you think it’s not a big deal until you see yourself there, seeing how the baby wakes up every few minutes. The insecurity generated by being able to make mistakes makes you try to put all five senses into everything you do, so you are going to be in alert mode for a long time and this in turn will exhaust you more.

Over the months you will be able to change the diaper in the dark, breastfeed without a shred of light and put on a pacifier practically sleeping. But the first night, definitely not.

You are going to imagine with terror the moment in which you are discharged

I remember like it was yesterday the moment when my doctor told me “well, you can go home now”, and I responded with a surprised “Already?”. Imagine all that was happening in the hospital room, but at home – without a pediatrician, nurses or midwife – I broke out in cold sweats. Then things flow, but the change of scenery gives a bit of respect.

You will see your partner in his role as father for the first time

If there’s one thing that makes you take your eyes off your baby, even for a short time, it’s watching your partner in his new role as parent. Seeing that person debut in a facet so unknown and so full of feelings is something that can get you very excited. Nerves, fears, fatigue, and happiness will be shared… it is a memory that will always unite you because it is the turning point that cuts the story of your lives in two.

You will not want to receive visitors

In those idyllic pregnancies you often dream of having your baby in your arms and wanting to show it to all of humanity (starting with family and friends), so that they can contemplate your precious and perfect creation.

However, when you’re already there, sore, tired, unable to close your eyes, the last thing you want is to receive visitors and put on a happy face and smile from ear to ear. What you need is peace of mind to get to know and discover your baby during those first hours , such an important and emotional period of time for you as a new mother.

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