After the birth
Day 1 of the postnatal week is the day on which you gave birth. The first hours after childbirth you have a lot of energy due to the hormone adrenaline that was produced during childbirth. If this hormone decreases you will notice that you are tired. Keep in mind that you may still feel a little weak or dizzy. Try to stay in bed as much as possible. If you are going to move, take a shower or go to the toilet, it is important that someone helps you with this (for example, the maternity nurse or your partner).
If the delivery went well and everything goes well with mother and child, the midwife will leave after approximately 2 hours (for a home birth and a hospital birth). If you gave birth in the hospital, you can also go home with your baby after you have come to. During the first hours after giving birth (for a home birth) or after returning home (for a hospital birth), a maternity nurse will help you start up as a new family.
Blood loss
After childbirth you often have a lot of blood loss (more than a heavy period). You can also lose clots. Sometimes these clots can be the size of a fist. If you lose 2 of these large clots, it is important to call us on the service number 010 – 307 06 85. You must also call us if you lose more blood than one large maternity pad can absorb within half an hour.
Going to the toilet
Peeing after childbirth can be sensitive. To make it less sensitive, we recommend urinating in the shower or rinsing with a jug of water while urinating. It is important to urinate within 7 hours after giving birth. If this does not work, you must inform us by calling the service number.
Your baby’s first day
When your baby is born, it will be placed directly on the mother’s breast. It is important that the baby stays on your breast for at least the first hour. This ensures a smooth transition from your baby to the world, good bonding between mother and child, keeping your baby at the right temperature and a successful first introduction to breastfeeding.
Sometimes a baby is still a bit nauseous from the delivery and spits out some mucus/blood or amniotic fluid. Then put your baby quietly on his side or hold him / her upright so that he / she can get rid of it. Your baby’s head may have a point due to the adjustments the head has made to pass through the birth canal. This will go away in a few days.
If you want to breastfeed, the baby will also latch on for the first time within this hour. If the baby is given formula, he will receive a bottle of formula after one hour. The maternity nurse and midwife will help with this.
Nursing your baby
Your baby needs feeding every 3 hours. If you are breastfeeding, you can let your baby latch on every 3 hours and if you are formula feeding, you can prepare a bottle with 10ML formula every 3 hours (the packaging states something different based on the weight of your baby, these instructions on the package do not apply for the first 10 days!). The maternity nurse will help you with this.
If you think that your baby wants to drink, it is best to put him on extra. Breastfed children cannot be overfed. Don’t give your baby a pacifier just yet! If your baby is formula-fed and has just had his bottle, you can let him suck on your finger (after washing your hands). It is also important to wear a tight sports bra if you are not breastfeeding.
Changing your baby
Your baby’s first poop is black and sticky. This is normal and this poop is called meconium. Keep all diapers for the first few days so that we can assess whether the baby is pooping and urinating enough. We recommend that you change your baby’s diaper before each feeding and temperature the baby. Newborn babies are not always able to maintain their temperature properly, so it is important to check this. If the temperature is lower than 36.5 or higher than 37.5 degrees, you must call us, the midwife.