It’s never too early to start thinking about how you’re going to feed your baby. But you do not have to make up your mind until your baby is born. How you feed your newborn is your choice.
Breastfeeding
In the first few days, you and your baby will be getting to know each other. It may take time for both of you to get the hang of breastfeeding.
This happens more quickly for some women than others. But nearly all women produce enough milk for their baby.
It’s good to find out as much as you can about breastfeeding before you have your baby. It will help you feel more confident when you start breastfeeding your baby. Read more about breastfeeding here.
Formula milk, also known as baby formula or infant formula, is usually made from cows’ milk that has been treated to make it more suitable for babies.
There’s a wide range of different formula brands and types in the shops. Always check labels carefully to make sure you’re buying a suitable milk for your baby.
Formula milk provides babies with the nutrients they need to grow and develop. However, it doesn’t have the same health benefits as breast milk for you and your baby, for example, it can’t protect your baby from infections.
Before you go home
After you have had your baby and depending on your birth experience you may need to stay in hospital for a period of time. You will move from the place where you gave birth to either the Maternity Ward at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, The Women’s Centre. Here midwives will give you any support you may need with your recovery, feeding and looking after your baby.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust now offers partners the opportunity to stay overnight with new mothers and their babies in the bedside chairs that are provided. Find out more about partners staying overnight (PDF).
Going home
Once you and your baby are ready to go home, you will be given your hand-held notes and the ‘Red book’. This is your baby’s personal health record and contains information and growth charts to keep track of their weight, their immunisation records and development records. Remember to take this book with you whenever you take your baby to see your midwife, health visitor or GP.
Unless you are walking home from hospital, you will need a car seat for your baby that is suitable for a newborn. It is a good idea to practice attaching the car seat properly in your car before your baby arrives so that you can quickly make the journey home
Going home can seem daunting – there is lots to know about your new baby. If you notice anything that worries you, however small, speak to your midwife.
Getting to know your baby
Going home can seem daunting – there is lots to know about your new baby. Many new parents worry about whether their baby is getting enough milk, for example. Your midwife will ask about the colour of your baby’s poo and this is because what’s in a nappy can tell us a lot about baby’s wellbeing.
If you notice anything that worries you, however small, speak to your midwife.
You’ll probably spend a large part of the first few days after birth looking at your baby.
Coping with a crying baby
It is normal for babies to cry. Crying begins to gradually increase from two weeks. In the first month, periods of crying will become longer, reaching a peak when your baby is around two months old. Persistent crying in babies can be very stressful for new parents. Remember you can cope!
There are several methods of comforting your baby that can help, but if the crying is getting to you and the baby is safe,it is ok to walk away. Never, ever shake a baby. It can cause lasting brain damage or death.
Shortly after birth, the midwife will clamp your baby’s umbilical cord with a plastic clip, close to the belly button. The midwife or your birth partner will then cut the cord – leaving a small part, with the clamp attached.
The cord takes about a week to dry out and drop off. Keep it clean and dry until it does. If you notice any bleeding or discharge, tell your midwife, health visitor or GP.
Fontanelles (soft spots)
On the top of your baby’s head, near the front, is a diamond-shaped patch where the skull bones haven’t fused together yet. There is another, smaller, soft spot towards the back of their head. These are called the fontanelles.
It will probably be a year or more before the bones close over. There’s no need to worry about touching or washing the fontanelles because they are covered by a tough protective membrane.
Your baby's breasts and genitals
Quite often, a newborn baby’s breasts are a little swollen and ooze some milk, whether they are a boy or a girl.
Both boys’ and girls’ genitals often appear swollen initially but will look normal within a few weeks. Baby girls also sometimes bleed a bit or have a white, cloudy discharge from the vagina.
All this is caused by hormones passing from you to your baby before birth. There’s no need to be concerned.
Boys’ testicles develop inside their body and sometimes take a while to descend into the scrotum. A health professional will check whether they have descended as part of the newborn physical examination.
Your baby's skin
At birth, the top layer of your baby’s skin is very thin and easily damaged. Over the first month, or longer for premature babies, your baby’s skin matures and develops its own natural protective barrier.
Vernix , the white sticky substance that covers your baby’s skin while in the womb, should always be left to absorb naturally. It’s a natural moisturiser that also protects your baby against infection in the first few days. If your baby is overdue, their skin may be dry and cracked. This is because all the protective vernix has been absorbed before they were born.
It’s best to bath your baby with plain water only for at least the first month. If you need to, you can also use some mild, non-perfumed soap. Avoid skin lotions, medicated wipes or adding cleansers to your baby’s bath water.
Don’t use any creams or lotions, as they may do more harm than good. The top layer of your baby’s skin will peel off over the next few days, leaving perfect skin underneath.
If your baby has been cared for in the neonatal unit, staff will advise you on skincare.
Jaundice in newborns
When they’re about 3 days old, some babies develop mild jaundice. This will make their skin and the whites of their eyes look a bit yellow. It’s caused by pigments released during the breakdown of old red blood cells.
It’s more common in babies delivered by forceps or ventouse. It usually fades on its own within about 10 days, but more severe jaundice may need treatment. If you are worried, please contact your midwife. Find out more about newborn jaundice here.
If your baby develops jaundice in their first 24 hours, they should be checked by a health professional straight away.
Birthmarks
The most common birthmarks in newborns are the little pink or red V-shaped marks on the forehead, upper eyelids or neck that some people call “stork marks” or “salmon patches”. They gradually fade, but it may be a few months before they disappear completely.
Dark red and slightly raised “strawberry marks” (infantile haemangioma) are quite common. They sometimes appear a few days after birth and gradually get bigger. They may take a while to go away, but they usually disappear gradually. You can read more about birthmarks here.
Newborn spots and rashes
Spots and rashes are very common in newborn babies. They may come and go, but if you also notice a change in your baby’s behaviour – for example, if your baby isn’t feeding well, or is very sleepy or very irritable – tell your midwife or GP immediately.
Bumps and bruises
It’s common for a newborn baby to have some swelling and bruises on their head, and perhaps bloodshot eyes.
This is caused by squeezing and pushing during birth, and is particularly common in babies who have been delivered by forceps or ventouse. It will soon disappear but, if you’re worried, you can ask your midwife about it.
Your baby's eyes
Your newborn’s eyes will be checked shortly after birth as part of their newborn physical examination. New babies can see, but their vision isn’t very focused. Their eyesight develops gradually over the first few months.
By the time your baby is 2 weeks old, you’ll probably notice their eyes following your face or a colourful object held about 20cm away. If they don’t seem to be doing this, mention it to your health visitor or GP.
Your recovery
Having a baby changes your body. Some things may never be quite the same again, but other changes don’t need to be permanent.You can tighten your tummy with exercise, for example, and any weight you’ve gained will gradually drop off if you eat healthily and exercise.It won’t happen overnight. It took nine months to make a baby, and it could take at least that long to get back into shape again.
Recovering from a caesarean birth may take longer. You may be in hospital for a few days after a caesarean section, and may need to take things easy for several weeks. Read more about recovering from a caesarean section.
Warning signs for mum after birth
Very occasionally, women can develop signs and symptoms of more serious problems following baby’s birth. If you experience any of the following you should seek help immediately:
Sudden and heavy blood loss or persistent increasing blood loss
Headaches accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms within the first 72 hours of birth:
Visual disturbance
Nausea, vomiting
Calf pain, redness or swelling
Shortness of breath or chest pain
Emotional wellbeing
Many women feel down, tearful or anxious in the first few days after giving birth. This is often called the “baby blues” and is so common it’s considered normal – it doesn’t last for more than 2 weeks after the birth.If your symptoms last longer or start later, you could have postnatal depression. The earlier it’s diagnosed and treated, the quicker you’ll recover. Read more about postnatal depression, including how to spot the signs or symptoms.If you think your partner may be struggling with their emotional wellbeing, find out what support is available via ‘You and Your Partner’.
There are no rules about when to start having sex again after you have given birth. It might be some time before you want to have sex and this is perfectly normal. If you or your partner have any worries, talk about them together. You can talk with your health visitor or GP if you need some more help.
It is important to be aware that you can get pregnant as little as 3 weeks after the birth of a baby, even if you’re breastfeeding and your periods haven’t started again. It is therefore important to use some kind of contraception every time you have sex after giving birth. Many methods of contraception can be started straight after the birth of your baby so that you’re prepared. Don’t wait for your periods to return or until you have your postnatal check before you use contraception as you could get pregnant again before then.
You’ll usually have a chance to discuss contraception before you leave hospital after your baby is born, and again at your postnatal check. Read more about sex and contraception after birth.
If you are under 25 you can access routine contraception from Hope House, for further information please visit the Hope House website. Alternatively, you can make an appointment at your GP surgery if you would prefer.
If you are over 25 then you will need to make an appointment at your GP surgery.
Your experience – First Few Weeks
Some of you have shared your experiences of your lives with a newborn.
Re-opening of the Aveta Birth Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital:In response to the continued reduction in community transmission and falling hospital admissions related to COVID-19, we're delighted to announce that the Aveta Birth Centre at Cheltenham General Hospital will be re-opening next week.The centre was converted to a temporary surgical ward during the COVID-19 peak in January to enable urgent cancer surgery to continue. We'd like to thank families and colleagues for their patience and flexibility in accommodating this temporary change.We are now informing patients of the good news and will share an exact date with you in due course. If you have any specific questions relating to your birthing plans, please contact the clinical team directly.Restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of the virus still apply. As currently, your partner or birth supporter can attend all scans and labour and birth and although some restrictions remain for routine antenatal appointments, your support partner can attend these appointments virtually. More here: bit.ly/3pHK5atGloucestershire Maternity Voices ... See MoreSee Less
Had a baby in January? Here's what they were a part of! *Low number of births at Aveta due to the unit temporarily closing during January. ... See MoreSee Less
Protecting your #baby from tobacco smoke is one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life.If you smoke, your midwife will check your CO2 levels and you'll be referred to Healthy Lifestyles Gloucestershire service - We know how hard it is but, with help, you’re four times more likely to do it.Call: 0800 122 3788 Find out more: www.hlsglos.org/our-services/stop-smoking/... See MoreSee Less
We have had a few queries recently asking about the different options for birthing within a hospital unit in Gloucestershire and what facilities they each have. I thought it might be useful to share this page, as it has virtual tours of each unit. Scroll down the page to the heading 'Wards' and then you can click through each option and view the videos. www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/services-we-offer/maternity/... See MoreSee Less
Hi and thank you to everyone who watched the live chat this morning and asked questions. We will be going back to them later on, to give a written answer and take forward any we didn’t know about at the time. I also want to clarify, that support partners are able to visit the maternity wards, once they have a negative test. They will be tested daily and will then be able to visit the ward for the duration of visiting times. Sorry for the confused answer to this. ... See MoreSee Less