The first few hours after birth
You've waited for this moment for months and now you're a mum! So what do the next few hours and days hold for you?
Some women feel they know their babies intimately by the time they give birth. After all, you've carried this little person inside you for the last nine months, feeling them kick and roll around, and you've even watched his heartbeat on a screen. But at the same time, those first hours with your new baby are a step into the unknown.
There's lots to learn about this new role, and you and your little one will be learning together. But knowing what to expect in the hours immediately after the birth will help prepare you.
'I remember looking out of the hospital window thinking how strange it was that the rest of the world carried on as normal while I was in there going through a life-changing experience,' says Estelle, mum to Isabel, eight months.
By Siobhan O'Reilly
- Next: Your baby's world
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Where to next?
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A new baby: the first days and weeks
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A new baby: what happens next? Part 2
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A new baby: what happens next? Part 3
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A new baby: what happens next? Part 4
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Bleeding after childbirth
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Bonding with your baby
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Breastfeeding guide
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Breastfeeding your baby: A practical guide
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Coping with breastfeeding
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Dealing with after birth pain
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Expect breastfeeding to be a challenge
