Yippee! Now what!
It's amazing how something so real and human was inside you for so long. After checking out who the baby looks like and counting the ten fingers and ten toes, what do you do?
Feed the baby as soon as the baby is cleaned by the nurse and handed over to you. Research says that it is important for a baby to establish skin-to-skin contact with the mom soon after birth. Every drop of mother's first milk, also called 'colostrum' is valuable. Feed as much as you can. The colostrum will stop after regular milk flow sets in. Only a few teaspoons are enough for the baby a day. The colostrum will also help push the meconium out of the baby's stomach and prevent jaundice.
A newborn should be fed every two hours. Watch for hunger signs from the baby-tongue coming out, bringing hands to mouth, etc.
Of course, you are tired after delivery. But if you had a long labor, the baby would be tired too after being heaved and pushed out of the birth canal. So, you might have to wake your baby every two hours and feed her. A newborn has a teeny tiny tummy and will pass stools frequently. It is important to flush out the meconium (black stool) from the baby's liver so as to not contract physiological jaundice. A newborn may also be placed near a window to allow for sunlight to help prevent jaundice. But babies can sunburn easily, so don’t place the baby under direct sunlight.
If the baby is not fed properly or doesn't pass enough stools the first couple of days, she can contract jaundice. Breastfeed as often as possible, breast milk has natural laxatives. If your nipples are sore from poor latching, bottle feed the baby. The priority is for the baby to eat, grow, and stay healthy.
You did all this and the baby was still diagnosed with jaundice. Bummer! You might have to come home alone (yes, its disappointing and sad when you left for the hospital thinking that you would be bringing back another member to the family). The baby will be placed for one night under UV light and the jaundice should gradually decrease over the next few days. More blood tests might be needed. But once all the black gooey stuff is out, and the stool color changes, you know that you are out of the woods.
After the first month, babies may not pass stools for days at a stretch. Since breast milk is easily digested than formula, there is little wastage (kinda like the Andromeda Strain species!). So how do you know that the baby is getting enough? Watch the wet diapers (about 7 a day). The pediatrician will schedule visits every month after the baby is born till the fourth month. There will be weight checks. Within one month, the baby should regain birth weight. If you are really worried, you could go to the hospital and get a weight check.
Supervised tummy time for a couple of hours every day in the first few months of a baby's life will help her strengthen her back and neck. But lying on the tummy is associated with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), so never take your eyes off your baby when she's lying tummy down. Also, make sure the baby sleeps in a safe place without suffocation hazards such as pillows and toys. You could be really tired after delivery, so be careful if you are co-sleeping with the baby.
