For some, reliving a traumatic birth is painful and you and your partner may need support to work through difficult memories.
Your baby today
By now, you may feel that your baby is beginning to interact a bit
more as you notice that he loves to gaze at faces and enjoys watching
you talk and smile. However, he won’t be able to smile back for a few
weeks yet.
Once the acceptance
and realization that you have had a baby sinks in and you are beginning
to adapt to your new role as a mother, you may start to reflect on your
birth experience and may want to share this with your relatives and
friends. You will remember your birth story for the rest of your life
and later share it with your baby.
Sometimes the labor and
birth may not have gone as you wanted or anticipated. For example, you
may have gone over your due date and had to be induced, and this may
have led to interventions and possibly an instrumental delivery or an
emergency cesarean section. You may feel some disappointment and be
unsure about why certain things happened and whether you could have been
able to do anything to prevent them from happening.
Occasionally some women,
and their partners, who had a particularly difficult birth experience
can suffer from post-birth trauma. If the birth was traumatic and you
feel upset and unsettled, make an appointment with your doctor to
discuss your birth experience. She will be able to explain events that
you are unsure about and, if necessary, may be able to arrange for you
to see the obstetrician who cared for you during labor, although this
isn’t standard, or recommend a mental health professional for you to
speak with. If your partner feels traumatized by your birth experience
and felt helpless during the process, he can also talk to the doctor, or
if he prefers, to a mental health professional.
Talking to your partner
about the labor and birth can help you relive good memories and to come
to terms with the more unsettling ones. Your partner is one of the best
placed people to reassure you about how you managed during labor, and
talking together can help you open up and express your feelings about
the birth.
… Doctor
| Q: |
My baby’s eye is constantly sticky. What can I do about this?
|
| A: |
Many newborn babies wake up with sticky eyes. This is due to a
temporary blockage of the tear ducts, which are tiny in newborn babies.
Clear his eye by wiping it with a cotton pad soaked in cooled, boiled
water, using a fresh piece for each wipe. The problem usually resolves
with time, but if the secretions become yellow and look infected, tell
your doctor because your baby may need antibiotic eye drops.
|
… Your baby’s senses
Your baby’s world
Your baby will focus on your face when being fed.
He has been able to hear since he was in the uterus, and loves the
sound of voices and music. He is startled by sudden noises, but can’t
locate them yet. He can taste; he loves the sweetness of breast milk and
can tell if you’ve eaten something different! He can recognize your
smell, and loves being cuddled, stroked, and carried close to you in a
sling.
Your baby is fascinated by your face and loves making eye contact with you.
