What happens after the baby is born and how do the first few days after delivery go?

After the baby is born and the mucus has been sucked out of its mouth and nose, it begins to breathe on its own. This usually happens after 10-20 seconds, since for the first breath to occur, certain changes in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems must occur in the baby's body. This is due to the fact that, while in the womb, the baby received oxygen from the mother's blood, and after birth, the path of the blood, depleted of oxygen, changes. Now it flows from the heart not to the placenta, but to the baby's lungs. In addition, the accumulating carbon dioxide activates the baby's respiratory center. And finally, the first breath occurs.

Nowadays, obstetricians do not rush to cut the umbilical cord, but place the newborn baby on the mother's belly, since an additional portion of blood saturated with oxygen and immune substances comes to the baby through the umbilical cord. And placing the baby on the mother's belly is a positive psychological moment for both the mother and the newborn.

It is also necessary to immediately put the baby to the breast. In addition to purely psychological moments, during sucking the woman's nipples are stimulated, which contributes to the contraction of the uterus. This happens because their stimulation causes an additional release of oxytocin.

After childbirth, the woman's body begins to rebuild itself again. Moreover, these changes occur much faster than during pregnancy. After the placenta separates, the level of progesterone and estrogens in the blood decreases. At the same time, the production of oxytocin and prolactin (a hormone that promotes milk production) increases. In connection with this, the mammary glands begin to enlarge. Colostrum appears in them first, and then, after a few days, milk.

Colostrum is a very important product for a child. It contains a large number of antibodies and leukocytes, which are useful for the child to fight most bacteria and viruses. It contains many vitamins (A, C, E, B), growth factors, protein substances that activate the metabolism of the newborn. Colostrum also has mild laxative properties, which helps the child get rid of the original feces - meconium.

During sucking, the uterus contracts more intensively, which leads to the closure of the vessels of the placental site (where the placenta was located) and, consequently, to the cessation of bleeding. Bloody discharge usually persists in a woman for 2 days. Then lochia (that is what these discharges are called) become more and more watery - serous-bloody, and then the blood in them disappears altogether. Lochia lasts five to six weeks after childbirth until the moment when the uterus regains its previous size and instead of 1 kg begins to weigh the usual 50-60 g. These five to six weeks are called the postpartum period.

Your feelings in the first week after childbirth will depend on many factors. This includes how you gave birth - naturally or by surgery, and what kind of birth you had - easy or difficult, with tears, episiotomy or without. Therefore, it is impossible to list all the nuances of the postpartum period. But here are the main points: physiological phenomena, mental characteristics and complications.

Physiological phenomena (i.e. those that may occur normally): in the first few days you will be injected with contraction drugs, the uterus will contract and you will feel pain in the lower abdomen, similar to contractions. If you had an episiotomy, you will not be able to sit for a few days, and it is quite natural that your suture will hurt for a few days. Because of this, you will also have difficulty walking, and your gait will resemble the gait of a sailor walking along a rocking ship deck. If you had surgery, then the area of the postoperative suture will hurt for two or three days. For one or two days, you will have difficulty urinating. If you strained hard and the blood vessels in the conjunctiva of your eyes burst, and small hemorrhages appeared on your face, do not be alarmed - all this will pass within a few days! Due to the "engorgement" of the mammary glands and the rapid presence of milk, painful sensations may arise, and with the beginning of feeding, the nipples may crack.

Mental changes. At first, immediately after giving birth, the woman experiences the greatest relief and joy. Then, as the pain that had subsided increases, the mood worsens and euphoria is replaced by depression of feelings, lack of confidence in oneself and one's abilities, a desire to quickly return home appears, coupled with fear ("What will I do with all this!?"). That is, uncertainty appears, will there be enough milk, how to manage to do everything around the house, what if it doesn't work out? And if there is no interest in sex - will it offend the husband, etc., etc.

In addition, many women complain of a significant deterioration in memory. Moreover, what the doctor said is forgotten literally in a few minutes! This is partly explained by the stress experienced, partly by the changes in the brain (dehydration) that occur during pregnancy. Now, after childbirth, everything is gradually normalizing, but while your memory is impaired, write down your questions and answers to them.

Complications after childbirth: heavy bleeding (one or even two pads are soaked with blood within an hour); foul-smelling discharge or abundant passage of large clots; fever with foul-smelling discharge. If these complications occur, you should immediately consult a doctor!