The early days with your baby can be calm and quiet, giving you chance to heal and slowly adjust or it can be overwhelming and chaotic as you try to meet your baby’s needs.
You need to look after yourself in those early days – rest, eat & drink regularly – and it can also help to get some support and reassurance about life with a new baby, as well as to talk through the birth of your baby.
The early days can also be full of huge emotions, as your hormone levels change, your milk comes in and you might be feeling pretty sore from birth.
In those early days with your baby it can be helpful to remember…
- to expect some chaos with no schedule – your baby’s needs will vary day by day and they are just working out their new world as well
- some babies are placid and adjust to life outside the womb really easily, while others need much more reassurance and all the cuddles to feel secure
- to get to know your baby
- bonding isn’t always instant and it can take several days, into weeks to feel connected to your baby
- to rest as much as you can
- to be looked after
- to use your breathing to stay calm, to help with any discomfort and to help settle your baby
- get some support with feeding or if you have any concerns
- to look after yourself
- just go with your baby’s needs – chances are your baby will need to feed often and will be more settled when cuddled and carried
- if the early days are tough, you are not getting it wrong – it can be a steep learning curve

The early days with your baby features as part of my antenatal course and 1:1 consultations can also focus on baby preparation and new baby support.
There are also a range of articles about having a new baby to find out more about the essentials.

Janine Smith | A specialist in pregnancy, birth and early parenting
Janine Smith Practice
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