Your Newborn's First Days: What to Expect

Immediately after birth, the baby is placed on your chest (skin-to-skin contact) — this first hour is called the "golden hour" and is a very precious moment. It helps regulate the baby's body temperature, stabilize heart and breathing rate, stimulate the breastfeeding reflex, and strengthen bonding. Even after a C-section, skin-to-skin contact can start as early as possible.

Newborn appearance: Your baby may not look like babies in the movies — and that's completely normal. Their head may look a bit misshapen from passing through the birth canal (this corrects within a few days), vernix (a white, protective coating) may be on the skin, and their eyes may be slightly puffy. All of this is temporary and normal.

First breastfeeding: Starting breastfeeding within the first hour after birth is encouraged. Colostrum (first milk) comes in for the first 2-3 days — though it may seem like very little, it's as much as the baby needs and very valuable for immunity. A good latch is a skill that needs to be learned — don't hesitate to ask for support from a lactation consultant.

First week: Newborns may sleep 16-17 hours a day and need to feed often. A small amount of weight loss in the first 3-5 days is normal. The umbilical cord stump falls off within 1-3 weeks. Jaundice is common and usually resolves on its own. However, jaundice that starts in the first 24 hours, spreads to the legs or soles of the feet, reduces feeding or makes your baby unusually sleepy or floppy needs a doctor's assessment without delay. A pediatrician checkup within 2-3 days after leaving the hospital is recommended.