The 4th trimester
Let's talk about those first life changing months with baby that leave parents sometimes feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. But can be the most amazing and fulfilling months as well. The 4th trimester is what the first 3 months after birth is generally called (I made a video about it that you can watch here).
For around 40 weeks all your baby has known is the safety and security of life inside your womb. For months they have been growing more and more each day as they have developed. Their whole body has been surrounded by amniotic fluid, at the perfect temperature so baby never feels too cold or too hot. They have received all their nutrients and oxygen from the placenta via the umbilical cord. They have gotten used to the sounds of your body, your heart beating and your food being digested in your intestines. All the sounds from the outside world have been muffled as the sound has to pass through body tissues and water to get to their ears. And then one day something changes, they are squeezed together in a new way, maybe the water suddenly disappears and they start moving through a very tight space until they are born. For the first time they feel the cold air hit their skin, they feel bright lights in their eyes and they start to breathe for the first time. Their skin touches yours for the first time, and they hear the familiar sound of your heart beat again.
Birth is literally life changing for a newborn, everything they have experienced before birth is no longer, and they are now in a new world with completely new experiences.
Birth is literally life changing for a newborn, everything they have experienced before birth is no longer, and they are now in a new world with completely new experiences.
It has become more and more common to speak about the fourth trimester, the first three months after a baby is born. The baby has to evolve a lot during these months, this mental and physical development that baby experiences during this period is very important. They need to get used to sounds, light, scents and new feelings as they learn to navigate the new world around them.
When a baby is born their senses are still developing. They cannot see clearly, they can hear but don't understand the different sounds they encounter. They have been in a tight and safe space and are now in a world with lots of space. The baby is dependent on its parents to survive and continue to develop. The brain is still developing rapidly after birth.
During these months the baby will cry more than it will during any other period of their life. As parents it's important that you understand that this is normal, as this is a way for your baby to communicate with you. There is no way to spoil a newborn as their crying is their way to communicate things like hunger or need for security and comfort.
A newborn sleeps a lot during their first weeks outside the womb. This sleep is essential for your baby's brain development and for processing all the new experiences they encounter when they are awake. Baby has no circadian rhythm, so the baby will sleep whenever they need.
The baby has a small stomach and needs to eat often, around eight to twelve times during a twentyfour hours period. Get to know your baby so you can figure out what they need. Feeding will usually go smoother if they are fed before they get very upset and cry a lot. Let your baby breastfeed as often and for as long as they want. For some babies that may be every hour, for others it may be with a few hours in between. With time you will get to know your baby's feeding pattern. The pattern may also vary over the 24 hour period.
To help baby to adjust to the life outside the womb it is good to keep baby skin to skin with one of the parents for as much time as possible. This makes the baby feel safe, helps them digest better and keeps them warm. The scent of their parents and the sound of a familiar heartbeat is comforting to baby. You can choose to put baby in a baby carrier or sling which can mimic the life inside the womb and therefor calm the baby. Movement like walking or swaying side to side while holding baby is usually comforting to baby. Some parents swear by white noise audio or the sound of a washing machine, others use a rhythmic shhhh, shhhh, shhhh to comfort baby. Babies are individuals, you will get to know your baby and figure out what they prefer with time.
You may feel that the first three months are very tough, but remember that this too shall pass. And before you know it, baby will be three months old and you have gotten into the groove of things together.
