I was 3 days past my due date apparently although I always thought I was 40+1 but anyway it was Friday 19th September; teatime. I was really grumpy and moaning at my poor husband Will over just about everything including how heavy he was breathing…poor fella!! Had lots of grumbly period pains since 5pm and was generally tired and whingy!!
18.30 came and normal routine of putting Henry (No1 son aged 18 months) in the bath commenced. While Will was dressing Henry for bed, I decided we needed to empty the birth pool as it was on day 8 of the same water and was supposed to be changed on day 7. We hired a heated pool to make life easier for Will.it was a fantastic pool and can be hired from www.aquabubs.co.uk. Will said it was too much hassle to empty the pool and nothing was going to happen tonight and as he was going to squash club it can be done tomorrow. I huffed and puffed and stormed out of the room saying I would do it myself and promptly started to get the pump together to empty the thing!!
Will came down and took over from me and I told him I was getting some heavy period type pain and things may start tonight. He thought I was being dramatic and just saying that to stop him going to squash….as if I would do such a thing!! So, he took over and I went to feed Henry for bed. While I was nursing Henry the familiar period type contraction pain started but I didn’t think too much of it at that point. Came back downstairs and the pool was emptying nicely. I started to look at the clock as I was getting waves of the pain rather than a constant dull ache. I announced to Will that the baby was coming tonight and I was officially in labour and that the contractions were actually every 5-6 mins apart….of course he didn’t believe me, then he panicked and asked ‘why the hell were we emptying the pool!!’ It had to be emptied otherwise we risked not being able to use it…so we continued to empty it and in the meantime, I put the hot water on so we ensured having a full tank when the time to refill came. By 19.30 the pool was almost empty and so we started to refill with cold water from the outside garden hose. We tried to connect the hose to the kitchen tap with the so called ‘universal’ tap adaptor, but of course it didn’t fit! Will started to panic then and so me being very calm said ‘let’s not find problems let’s find solutions….get some buckets!!’ so we (well he) bucketed in 20+ buckets of boiling hot water to the pool. The temp was around 34 degrees by the time it was full so we popped the cover on and turned up the heater.
At 2030 I called the midwife just to let her know I was in labour but I was fine. She told me her hubby was just dishing up her tea and could she eat it? I said that I was fine and contractions were manageable. She said to call her back when the contractions intensified. By 1030 I had my TENS machine on and things were hotting up a bit. I called the midwife again and explained contractions were 4-5 mins and lasting around a minute each and were painful but ok. She said she would come.
She arrived at 1115 and started taking my blood pressure and listened to the baby’s heartbeat. I was bouncing on my birthing ball in the front room using my TENS machine and breathing and relaxing through the contractions. Relaxing my body deep into each contraction really helped the pain. At 1145 while bouncing, I heard a pop and felt a warm sensation down below….my waters had gone. I grabbed the beach towel that was on the carpet next to my ball and managed to stuff it under myself. I then made my way to the conservatory (towel between my legs) where the pool was set up and sat on the sofa. The midwife (Sonia) said she’d like to examine me which was fine…..the contractions, since my waters broke, were really painful now so I was hoping she was going to bring me happy news and let me get in the pool. I was 5-6 cm dilated…yippee!! I was able to get into the pool at 1205am. The contractions were very painful now and I asked for some gas and air….what fab stuff that is!! I moved around the pool from my front up on to my knees and then sitting back down again. The freedom of movement was bliss. By 1225 I had an urge to push and my body almost took over at that point. Still using the gas and air and moving around the pool 10 minutes later at 1235, I had a greater urge to push and my body began to push without me even doing anything. Sonia was lovely and told me to let my body do what it wants to do. So I am pushing and probably grunting and mooing and at 12.45 the head was crowning and I reached down to feel. Another push and the baby’s head was out. At 12.50 our second child came into the world…his shoulders had got a bit stuck so the midwife had to give him a little tug I think. Sonia reached down for the baby and gave him straight to me. I held him under the water and he was very floppy and looked quite grey. Sonia gave baby a rub on its back and within seconds baby gasped and was breathing. The cord felt quite short so I had to hold baby under the water quite low down. The 2nd midwife then arrived….just a few minutes too late, but it was good to see Dee who I knew.
Will wasn’t in the room as I think he panicked and left looking for towels when baby wasn’t breathing initially….when he came back I wanted us to look to see what we had together. I tried to feel but couldn’t so I lifted up a leg and there we found a little boys bits!! Another son to make us a family of four and a new little brother for Henry. I sat there for 20 minutes and waited for the cord to stop pulsating and then Sonia cut it and handed our little boy to his daddy. He was pleased as punch and grinning from ear to ear. I climbed out of the pool and laid on the sofa ready for the 3rd stage. I wanted to have a natural 3rd stage so we waited…. I had the urge to stand up as I had what felt like cramp in my hips and so I squatted and with a few pushes the placenta was delivered. The 2nd midwife just about caught it in her dish!
I was then examined down below and they found that I had quite a nasty jagged tear with a tag which needed more detailed stitching than the midwife felt she wanted to do herself. This meant a trip into hospital unfortunately. The hospital was 3 minutes up the road so it wasn’t a problem and I was just concerned that I got a good embroidery job!! Before we set off to the hospital, I fed our new baby boy and Will came and sat beside me. We discussed names and decided on George William Roberts. George fed for around 40 minutes (he was a natural just like his big brother!!). We called my neighbour Ali who came and sat with Henry (who was sound asleep throughout the whole amazing event) while we went to the hospital. We got to the hospital at 0245am for suturing which I have to say was far worse than the labour and delivery!! I used gas and air throughout and it was found to be a 2nd degree tear. I was home by 0430 and in bed by 5am. Sent out a few texts and then slept. Only to be woken at 6am by Henry. I gave him a breastfeed in the hope he would go back to sleep and left him in his room. He must have gone back to sleep as we didn’t hear him until 08.30….i managed to get a couple of hours much needed sleep!!
We introduced Henry to his new baby brother which was a lovely moment. Henry adores his baby brother and keeps saying baby and puckering up for kisses!! Such a different birth experience to last time I am pleased to say. We decided that night we would probably have a number 3….because of having such an amazing experience with delivering George. Will was very anxious about a homebirth but now it is over he was glad that I had the birth I wanted and that it was such a positive experience all round. So now I am a proud mummy to 2 beautifully handsome boys and have hopped on board the journey of tandem breast feeding. I am writing this story on day 17 post George’s birth and at this point Henry has upped his breastfeeding 5 fold…he is enjoying mummy’s new found milk supply and is making the most of it!!
Gayle Roberts, mum to George William Roberts, 2 1/2 years old
This post is from the UK
1 week old – My first week as a mum
The first week has been such a daze and it has gone by so quickly. I can’t believe little Aron is already a 1 week old newborn!
I stayed in the hospital for 2 days after Aron was born as I had a caesarean section and needed to recover. I was taken to the maternity recovery ward on the first night where other women were staying with their newborns.
I was bedridden for the first night as I was hooked up to a urine catheter and a drip which drained all the liquid from my caesarean wound. The midwives encouraged some skin-to-skin contact straight away so they placed Aron on my chest and showed me how to encourage him to my breast.
I was still very dazed from previous events, so the fact that I held my one week old son in my arms was an overwhelming experience to say the least. The labour and birth felt like I had accomplished something so great and Aron was my reward.
After several attempts (and quite a lot of patience from the midwives) Aron successfully latched onto my breast and we started bonding.
I was taken aback by the beauty of him and watched him feed. He then slept in my arms before the midwife came to place him back into his cot. The ward that night was so loud – newborn babies were crying constantly and I didn’t manage to get any sleep. Aron was such a good boy though and didn’t cry once. He only got up to feed, and then he would just go back to sleep.
The second night, the midwives took the catheter out so I was able to move around a bit and stretch my legs. I still had to have this annoying drainage device attached to me so I still felt restricted. Hubby and family came to visit and play with the baby who seemed so relaxed after what was such a distressing labour and birth for him too.
A paediatrician also checked Aron over and advised he was recovering very well. The midwife could also tell that I hadn’t slept at all that night and moved me to another ward where there was only one other woman. It didn’t make much of a difference though as the lady snored so loudly and every time the snoring would stop, her baby would wake up and cry loudly. Poor Aron and I didn’t get any sleep again.
I was discharged from hospital on the Tuesday. The midwife checked me and Aron over and gave us a clean bill of health, so that night hubby and I were given the all clear to go home. We were so excited to take Aron home for the first time. It was freezing outside, so we dressed him up in a sleepsuit and snowsuit, hat and gloves and placed him in the car seat. He’s so beautiful, I can’t stop staring at him!
It was such an exciting and daunting time for us. We were now solely responsible for Aron’s wellbeing and were watching him like a hawk to make sure everything was ok. When we got home I fed him and we put him to bed. I just sat there for hours staring at him. I couldn’t believe hubby and I made such a beautiful baby boy! He seemed so relaxed and settled too, considering everything that had happened. Needless to say, hubby and I weren’t quite as relaxed and didn’t sleep at all that night – we were up every hour feeding and changing Aron.
To be honest, all it seems we have been doing this week is feeding Aron and doing constant nappy changes. After 1 week, he has started to have more active periods which is so cute and hubby and I have already noticed certain characteristics which help us to prevent Aron from crying. He is such a good boy though and hardly cries. The midwife came over this week to give Aron the heel prick test. He cried a bit but was otherwise very good and took it like a man.
He gets a lot of hiccups and breastfeeding seems to be the only thing to stop the hiccups. There is one problem though – he gets quite gassy. He had trouble at one point, not being able to burp and poo, but the midwife advised us to buy Infacol* and that seems to have done the trick. He has already passed meconium quite a few times and now his poo is a mustardy colour. I am laughing as I write this.
I can’t believe how much hubby and I have become so obsessed with Aron’s digestive system! Has Aron pooed? What colour is it? Has he peed? Is he hydrated? Am I feeding him well? The midwife did advise me to stop eating acidic foods like orange juice and also to go out and buy Spatone iron supplements* as my haemoglobin levels were quite low, which has made me quite constipated. Honestly, feeding and sleeping in the first week of life is all we’re thinking about at the moment!
I managed to do a bit of catching up on work before I passed out for a few hours while hubby took over a bit. Then it was rinse and repeat!
By the end of this week, hubby and I can safely say that we have learned the following 1 week old milestones:
It doesn’t take long for your breast milk to come in – about two to three days – and they feel uncomfortable, large and sore. However, after 1 week my breasts are going back to normal now so the uncomfortable period is quite short.
My one week old newborn doesn’t like the cold. He doesn’t like his nappy to be dirty and only cries when he’s soiled his nappy. However he also doesn’t like to be changed because that also makes him cold so we have decided that straight after breastfeeding is the best time to change him because he’s so content and drunk from breast milk that he doesn’t care.
Aron is fascinated with my hair because it’s dark and curly.
It is ok for Aron to sleep 3 to 4 hours at a time, but it’s probably best to make sure he only does this once or twice during the day, but only when he’s older, as he’s too young at the moment for a sleep schedule. But it’ll allow us to have a good sleep (by good sleep I mean 4 hours).
Aron can now stretch his legs out in front of him and no longer feels the need to curl up into the foetal position.
Aron brings his legs up to his chest when he is in discomfort or when he’s about to fart or poo.
Aron loves it when I put him over my shoulder after breastfeeding and rub his back until he burps.
About your newborn’s first week of life – 1-week old baby development
Read on for some general guidelines related to development in the first week of life.
1 day old baby
You will be doing a lot of trial and error as you navigate your way with your new baby who will be crying, sleeping and feeding. You may still be at the hospital and so try to ask for help when you need it. Your baby will be able to see as far as your face but their vision will be blurry. They can grab onto your finger if you place it in their palm. Encourage your baby to root for milk as they will be hungry.
2 day old baby
Your newborn will be sleeping for most of the day, only to wake up every few hours to feed. Newborns can’t sleep through the night as they have very small tummies, so it’s normal for them to wake up. Newborns have around 8-12 feeds every 24 hours.
3 day old baby
You should be able to see some interaction from your baby now. When they are alert they will focus on your face and will be drawn to your voice, especially higher-pitched voices. Even if they can’t understand, keep talking to them because not only will they be enjoying it but they’ll be taking everything in like a sponge.
4 day old baby
Your baby will be focusing more and more and becoming more active. Keep talking and interacting with them, using baby noises and funny faces to encourage a smile.
5 day old baby
Your baby will still be sleeping for most of the day and their face may have even changed from when they were born. Keep interacting with your baby, as well as cuddling them a lot. It’s good for them!
6 day old baby
Your baby can only see objects up to 12 inches in front of your face, which is about the same distance from your face to theirs while feeding. At this stage they will hold your gaze for a few seconds. They will still be sleeping for most of the day and you’ll likely feel like a feeding machine because they feed every few hours.
What else to know about your week old baby – Your baby’s development at one week old
Your newborn’s appearance in the first week of life may be different to what you expected but their face will be changing daily. You may not understand all the crying in the first week of life, but slowly you will begin to point out what a hungry cry is as opposed to an annoyed or pain cry. Trust your instincts and give yourself time to learn as you go along.
1 week old development – milestones
1 week old baby milestones include instinctive brain function which means babies know how to breathe, feed, sleep and poo. This is all instinctive as the name suggests so follow your baby’s cues.
1 week old baby food
Your baby should only be drinking milk, either breastmilk or special formula made for newborns. They don’t need anything else at this stage, not even water.
1 week old baby sleep
Your baby will sleep for around 16 to 18 hours a day, waking to feed and then going back to sleep. It’s important to take their cue and allow them to sleep when they want to sleep at this stage.
1 week old baby schedule
It’s difficult to implement a baby schedule at this point as you’re basically following your baby’s cues at this stage. Keep learning from your baby and eventually you will be able to guide them to a loose schedule – but not now, they’re too young!
1 week old baby health and safety
Common health concerns in the first week of life include:
It’s very important to practice safe sleep, which means no items in the cot and no bumpers or loose blankets to restrict or cover baby. Place baby at the end of the bed with feet touching and use a sleepsuit to cover them while they sleep. Keep the room around 18 degrees celsius and make sure the cot’s sides are up.
1 week old baby care basics
After the first week – baby health check-ups include:
Newborn physical examination
Hearing screening test
Heel prick test
Your baby’s weight
Vaccinations
Bonding and communicating in the first week of life
It’s very important to promote bonding, whether that is wearing your baby using a baby carrier/sling, skin-to-skin contact and lots of cuddles. Your baby only needs food, sleep and lots and lots of love. They have only just come out of your womb so keep them close – and, no, you won’t mess them up if they fall asleep on you – just the contrary!
A fun fact – The baby’s main activities at the moment are sucking and chewing on his/her hands.
Read on for more newborn milestones week by week!
Move forward to 2 week old baby
Click above for our journey with Aron at two weeks old and how we got on in the first month.
Some things you can do with baby while they’re awake include:
Dancing with them (make sure to protect their neck!)
Tummy time to strengthen their back, although it will only be for a few minutes
Stretching, baby massage and lots of tickling and sensory touches
Reading to them
Singing to them
What should a baby be doing at 1 week old?
Most of the time they’ll be feeding and sleeping, but you can still interact with them as much as you can. Know their cues when they’re overstimulated, though, or they’ll become fussy babies!
How long should my 1 week old newborn sleep?
Other questions asked were:
How much does 1 week old sleep?
How much should 1 week old sleep?
How long should 1 week old be awake?
Babies sleep throughout the day and can interchange between long periods to much shorter periods. You should let your newborn baby sleep for as long as they need but do note they will wake up every two to three hours which is perfectly normal.
What are the hardest weeks of a newborn?
The first six weeks can be quite stressful because of the lack of sleep for parents and the overwhelm of learning something new every day with your baby. Keep at it because the time flies so fast and, before you know it, they’re 18 and have flown the nest!
How much should a 1 week old feed?
Other questions asked were:
How much does 1 week old eat?
How much should 1 week old eat?
How often should 1 week old eat?
How long should 1 week old nurse?
If you’re breastfeeding, then your baby will know how much to feed, but if you’re formula feeding then you will feed around 2 to 3 ounces (60 to 90 ml) of milk depending on their hunger cues.
Is the first week with a newborn the hardest?
It can be the hardest, especially if you had a tough birth and you’re recovering. Don’t forget you’re also dealing with lochia (the bleed after the birth) and you’ve barely slept. But this period is fleeting and it will get easier as you get used to your new normal and slide into a routine that works for you and your baby.
My baby is 1 week old and constipated. What do I do?
Other questions asked were:
My baby hasn’t pooed for 1 week. Is my one week old constipated?
Why is my 1 week old constipated?
How often should 1 week old poop?
A good baby massage and a warm bath may encourage your baby to open their bowels. Make firm but gentle circular motions from the belly button outwards as your baby is lying down on their back. You can also move their legs backwards and forwards in a ‘bicycle’ motion to help keep things moving.
Why is my one week old red?
Other questions asked were:
Why is my 1 week old baby so red?
Some newborns may have red marks on their skin which may be caused by squeezing through the birth canal. These will heal and disappear after the first two weeks. It’s quite normal for your newborn to develop a rash on their face as they get used to the outside world, but if they have a temperature or the rash looks angry, it’s best to consult your GP to see if it’s nothing to worry about. Better safe than sorry!
Can I take my baby out at 1 week old?
Yes you can and there are no set rules but it’s recommended to keep your baby away from crowded places until they are at least a few months old to allow them to build immunity slowly and to pass the immunisation milestones for added protection.
What do I do with the umbilical cord stump?
Umbilical cord care is very important so as not to get it infected. It’s recommended to just leave well alone until it falls off on its own and wash around it during bath times.
I can’t think of any baby names for my little one. What do I do?
You still have up to 6 weeks to register your baby’s name so there’s still plenty of time to come up with a name. Ask friends and family for help and draw inspiration from places around you. Eventually you’ll come up with a name with which you’ll be happy.
Should 1 week old make eye contact?
Other questions asked were:
What can 1 week baby see?
A baby at one week won’t be making eye contact all the time – this usually happens when they are about six to eight weeks old. But, they will be looking at your face a lot, so keep interacting with them and eventually they will make eye contact with you.
My baby has lost weight. Should I be worried about their birth weight?
Other questions asked were:
I was told that newborn weekly development included a bit of weight loss. Is this true?
My one week old baby has lost weight. Should I be scared?
Weight gain and body shape at one week old changes almost instantly after birth. This is because babies are born with extra fluid so it’s normal for them to lose up to 10% of their birth weight, which they will then regain in weight withing the first two weeks of birth. If they lose more or you’re worried you’re not feeding them enough then it’s important to consult your GP as it may be down to latch if you’re breastfeeding or an issue with their digestive system.
What is the most important item you’ve used during your first week?
Our most important item was the Moses basket as we could move baby around wherever we were stationed.
Can you tell me more about newborn baby and one week old development milestones please?
Please read above for more information on developmental milestones at 1 week old and keep reading the Motherhood Diaries series for more information on your baby as they grow!
*Every baby is different so use the above as only loose guidelines. If you are worried about your baby, please see a healthcare provider ASAP
*Links marked with a ‘*’ are affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you click through to buy, at no extra cost to you.
