Bounty feature

Your One Week Old

Your baby will receive a thorough examination, which should be done within the first 72 hours of birth. This may take place in hospital or at your local health clinic, but ask your midwife or health visitor about anything that’s worrying you before then.

This week, we take a look at

• Baby poo
• Constipation check
• Changing nappies
• The dummy debate
• Engorgement
• New baby weight loss
• Your one week old baby and you
• Q&As – bringing up feeds; plus, venturing out with your baby

What’s in a nappy?
A baby’s first poo is called meconium. It’s like tar – greenish-black and sticky. This changes soon to brightly coloured yellowish poo if your baby is breastfed, and greyish-green if your baby is formula fed. Breastfed babies have very soft, sometimes quite liquid stools; babies on formula have stools, which tend to be firmer. All babies should have several wet nappies every day. If your baby’s nappies are dry for several hours, talk to your midwife or doctor. It may be a sign that he is dehydrated, constipated or ill.

Babies often cry and grimace when they poo. This is normal and doesn’t mean they’re constipated. Exclusively breastfed babies are rarely constipated. Formula-fed babies can suffer from constipation. If stools are hard, like small marbles, you may need to give cooled, boiled water to avoid constipation, especially in hot weather.

Changing nappies
Change your baby whenever he is dirty. Some babies will tolerate a wet nappy without getting sore, and some babies have much more sensitive skin and need changing very regularly. In the first week, you could well be using up to six nappies a day or even more! If your baby’s stools suddenly change in colour, or smell different from what you are used to, and your baby seems unwell, consult your midwife, health visitor or doctor.

The dummy debate
Some young babies get a great deal of comfort from sucking. But some experts feel that a dummy interferes with breastfeeding. Discuss it with your midwife or breastfeeding counsellor. Perhaps your baby won’t need a dummy... and some babies just spit them out anyway!

Engorgement
As your body starts to produce milk, you may find that your breasts become suddenly large and uncomfortable, or even painful. Your breasts are ‘engorged’. If you are breastfeeding, encourage your baby to feed to ease the pressure. If your baby cannot feed because the area around the nipple is swollen, gently massage some of the milk out yourself. Warm your breasts first, with a warm flannel, as this will make the milk flow more easily. Your ‘supply-and-demand’ system will control your milk production; engorgement won’t continue when baby-led feeding is practiced.

If you are bottle feeding, avoid expressing, wear a supportive bra and take pain relief if you need it. Remember, your midwife can advise you.

New baby weight loss
Most new babies lose some weight in the first few days. They’re usually back to their birth weight within two weeks, and then put on weight steadily.

Your one week old baby…

• Will probably be feeding very frequently.
• May start to regain the weight lost during the first week.
• Will probably sleep randomly through the day and night.
• Can focus most easily on objects between 25 and 35cm away; he can clearly see the face of the person who’s holding him.
• If comfortably held on your shoulder, will lift his head in little intermittent jerks
• Will instinctively cling or reach out if moved quickly or put down abruptly.

You

• May feel like laughing one minute, crying the next; this rollercoaster of emotions is very common in the first few days and even weeks.
• May need to talk about the birth, to your partner or your friends, almost reliving it detail by detail.
• Shouldn’t expect too much of yourself. This is a time when you, your partner and your baby have a lot of adapting to do; don’t rush it.

Q&A

Rosa from Nottingham asks, ‘My baby brings back small amounts of milk after each feed. Should I be worried?’
Our breastfeeding expert, Chris McGregor, says: ‘Some babies sick up more milk than others during or just after a feed. This is called “possetting”, and is quite normal. A baby can sick up quite a lot of milk, but if he is gaining weight, there is usually nothing to worry about. Cover your baby with a bib when feeding and have a cloth ready to mop up any mess. If you’re formula feeding, check that the hole in your baby’s teat is not too big. If he brings back a lot of milk, he is likely to be hungry again quite soon. However, if your baby is frequently or violently sick, seems to be in pain, or you’re worried for any other reason, check with your doctor, midwife or health visitor.’

Della from Chorley asks ‘When can I take my baby out?’
Our parenting consultant, Eileen Hayes says: ‘You can take your baby out as soon as you feel ready to. When you go out, dress your baby in an all-in-one suit, with a hat and mittens if it’s winter.’

For the next chapter, All About You, Click here