The first days with your new baby, although exciting, are most often exhausting. If this is your first baby, nothing can prepare you for the total change in your daily life.
The following are some tips to get you through those first days. It is from experience that we offer this guidance:
• Have help at home for a week, plan to get a lot of rest first two weeks.
• Plan on sleeping when the baby sleeps (night or day) for a week
• Each day will be better than the last, each week better than the prior week
• Enjoy the wonders of your new baby – they grow and change so quickly! Vaginal bleeding:
• First 24 hours will be like a heavy period. Bleeding will decrease over the next five days.
• Page the midwife on call if you soak more than one pad per hour or see large clots (orange sized). Perineal care • Use your frozen pads for the first 24 hours.
• After 24 hours do warm tub soaks of 15 minutes 3-4 times a day. Fill tub to level of hips and add ½ cup witch hazel to water.