Dear new family

Information’s about the early days after your baby´s birth

Congratulations on the birth of your baby

Becoming a parent is a life-changing event, especially when it is your first baby.

You must get to know your baby, and you will experience that many questions will arise along the way.

In this booklet you will find information about the days following your baby's birth. We hope that you will find the answers to many of your questions.

This booklet is divided into two parts:

1. The first part is about the newborn baby.

2. The second part is about the mother.

We would also encourage you to read the booklet: Worth knowing about breastfeeding ( Værd at vide om amning ) which is about getting the best start with breastfeeding.

The Postnatal Clinic (Barselsklinikken)

If you have questions, you are very welcome to contact The Postnatal Clinic.

You can contact the postnatal clinic for the seven days following your discharge from hospital. The clinic is

open 24 hours a day. We can give you advice over the phone and if necessary (by arrangement), we can see you in the clinic.

A booklet about what the postnatal clinic can offer will be given to you after your baby's birth. It is also possible to receive advice and guidance about breastfeeding and your baby in connection with the heel prick test, newborn hearing screening and a debriefing about your birth experience.

Health Visitor (Sundhedsplejersken)

The health visitor will be informed that you have given birth and will contact you to arrange a time to visit. You are welcome to contact the health visitor yourself, even if you have not heard from them. You can find the telephone number on the local authority's website.

Your newborn baby

Crying

As parents you are the most important people in your baby's life. Your baby needs your care and attention right from birth. You are the best people to meet your baby's needs for food, clean nappies, sleep, touch and warmth. Your baby is stimulated when you talk to it, smile at it, cradle it and touch it.

Crying is your baby's way of telling you that it has a need. It may be food, a clean nappy, it may have stomachache or the need for physical contact.

It is important to react to your child when it cries. It gives the child a sense of security and ensures that the child learns that it is heard and understood. At first, it may be hard to know what yours baby's needs are, but it is important to try.

It is not always possible to find out why your baby is crying. It can be very frustrating, and it may make you feel

unhappy and overwhelmed. Try to keep calm and comfort your baby. Your baby can feel your uncertainty and will react to it. By listening, you will soon be able to hear different types of crying, and it will become easier to identify your baby's needs.

Urination and Bowel movements

Normally the baby will urinate and have their first bowel movement within the first 24 hours after birth. The appearance and amount of urine and the stools will change from day to day in the first week of life.

You can read about these changes in the booklet: Check the nappy ( Tjek bleen )

Contact the postnatal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

Your baby has not urinated or had a bowel movement in the first 24 hours
Your baby has not urinated or had a bowel movement which corresponds to their age ( see the booklet: Check the nappy )
There is, after the first 3 to 4 days of life, still orange staining in the urine.

Genital Organs

It is normal for girls to have small amounts of white discharge and bleeding from the vagina. This is because of maternal hormones. It is normal for boys to have a slightly enlarged red scrotum after birth. This will normally disappear on its own.

Do not try to pull the foreskin back.

It is normal for newborn babies (boys and girls) to have swollen breasts, where there can come small amounts of liquid out. This is called witches milk and is because of maternal hormones. It will disappear on its own.

Changing a nappy

It can be a good idea to change your baby's nappy before or after every feed.

Clean the baby's bottom with lukewarm water. Use single-use cloths. Wipe from the front to the back to avoid getting germs in the vagina. There is no need to pull back the foreskin.

Do not reuse the cloth, take a new one, that way the water will stay clean.

The Baby's wellbeing

Newborn babies lose weight after birth. This is normal and is mainly due to loss of fluid. On average, babies lose up to 7% of their birth weight, but up to 10% is considered normal. Normally a baby regains its birth weight within the first two weeks of life.

It is not only the baby's weight that will tell you if your baby is thriving.

You can check that your baby is doing well by looking for the following signs:

The baby is interested in feeding and feeds at least six times in 24 hours
The baby urinates and has bowel movements corresponding to their age (see the booklet- check the

nappy)

The child sleeps peacefully and is alert when awake
The baby's skin color is pink and not grey or pale
The baby's stools change color from one day to the next in the first week of life (see the booklet: Check the nappy )

Contact the post-natal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if: -you feel that your baby is not thriving/ doing well.

Jaundice

Many healthy newborns get jaundice after a few days. This is due to the accumulation of a pigment called bilirubin. It is completely normal and will disappear by itself. Most babies turn yellow on the face, eyes, neck and upper part of the chest, which is okay.

If you are in doubt as to whether your baby's skin is yellow, you can use your finger to lightly press on the baby's skin. When you release your finger, you will be able to see if the skin is yellow. The best thing to do is to let the baby feed often, because bilirubin is disposed of when the baby urinates or has a bowel movement.

Contact the postnatal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

The baby is yellow in the first 24 hours of life (even if it is only a little bit yellow)
The baby is evenly yellow over their whole body and both arms and legs
The baby is drowsy, does not eat at least 6 to 8 times in 24 hours, does not eat actively and does not react to the nappy changes
you are worried that your baby is more yellow than normal
The baby is still yellow when it is two weeks old you should contact your own doctor.

The concentration of bilirubin can be measured using an instrument which meets the baby's skin.

If the concentration appears to be high with this test, then a blood test will be taken. The blood test will decide if the baby needs light therapy treatment or not.

The skin

After delivery most newborns have residual amounts of a white greasy substance (vernix) on their skin. Over the next few days this substance will be absorbed into the baby's skin and disappear. The skin can sometimes seem dry and begin to peel. This is normal and will disappear on its own.

The first few days of life the baby's hands and feet can feel cold and be bluish in color. This is normal and will disappear on its own.

The baby's skin will react to its changing environment, from being in the amniotic fluid to being in the air and wearing clothes. Sometimes this change can among other things result in red blotches, heat rash and hormone spots.

Contact the post-natal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

The spots are infected.
The baby seems distressed, restless or has a temperature.

This could indicate a skin infection which requires treatment.

Bath time

Vernix protects the baby's skin and should therefore have the chance to be absorbed in the skin. For this reason, it is best not to bathe your baby in the first 48 hours. If there are still traces of vernix when the baby is three days old, then it should be carefully washed away as it can begin to irritate the skin.

Your baby should be bathed 2-3 times a week in the first few weeks. If you wash the baby more often its skin will become dry. If you wash the baby less, it will start to smell.

Your baby will be sleepy after a bath, so it is a good idea to plan bathtime so that you have the opportunity for some time to yourself afterwards.

To ensure bath time is a good experience for both you and your baby it is a good idea that your baby is fed and happy. Between two feeds is therefore a good time to bathe your baby.

How to bathe your baby

Get everything ready before you start and never leave your baby on its own on the changing mat/table. If you must get something, take your baby with you, so the baby doesn't fall.
The temperature of the bath water should be 37C. Fill the baby bath with water so that your baby doesn't get cold during the bath. Avoid using soap and shampoo (see the recommendations at www.babykemi. dk). You can use some oil after the bath if the baby's skin is dry (www. babykemi.dk)
Start by washing your baby's face while he/she still has their clothes on. Start with the eyes and using a small area of clean cloth wash from the inner eye near the nose and outwards. Use a new area of clothing to wash the other eye.
The ears clean themselves, so it is enough to use a small area of cloth to wash behind the ears. Do not use cotton buds as the ear canal is short. -it is important to wash all the folds of the neck
The hair can be washed with a wet cloth while the baby is still on the changing mat.
To prevent your baby from getting cradle cap it is a good idea to massage the baby's scalp daily with a comb, baby toothbrush or a washcloth, this will increase blood circulation to the baby's scalp.
Now wash your baby's bottom, see the instructions under nappy changing
Undress the baby
Check the water temperature is 37C
When bathing your child, be sure to hold your upper arm furthest away from you so that your baby's head rests on your forearm. Then you have your other arm free to wash with. It is okay if the baby gets water in its ears. Wash your baby over the rest of its body with your hand or a cloth. Dry your baby with a warm soft towel and be careful to dry in the skin folds, the navel, the hands and the feet after the bath. ‘
Quickly dress your baby so it doesn't get cold.
If you would like to watch a film about how to bathe your baby, we can recommend a short film on bathing a newborn (www. sygehussonderjylland,dk/barsal)

Cradle Cap

This is a yellowish, patchy, greasy, scaly and crusty skin rash that occurs on the scalp of babies. It can be removed by gently rubbing the scalp with baby oil and then carefully using a soft brush to loosen the scales. The oil can be washed out with a mild shampoo. It is important that the shampoo is applied before you wet your baby's hair.

The umbilical cord

The umbilical cord stump gradually dries and shrivels until it falls off. This lasts between one and two weeks. The umbilical cord must be kept dry.

It is normal that there is a little bleeding when the umbilical cord stump falls off. If the umbilical cord begins to smell or there is a watery discharge, then it can be cleaned with lukewarm water (water that has been boiled and allowed to cool). There are no nerves in the umbilical cord, so this does not hurt the baby.

Contact the postnatal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

The umbilical cord becomes red and smells foul. This can be a sign of infection and needs to be treated.

Nails

In the first few weeks your baby's nails will be soft. If they are long, you can try to very gently rub/peel the nails with your fingers or gently file them. They must first be cut when they have become hard, when the baby is around 4-6 weeks old, but waiting longer is advised. When you start to cut your babies’ nails, try to do it when they are in a deep sleep.

Eye infection

Newborns’ eyelids may be swollen in the first few days and there may be a small amount of whitish discharge in the eyes. This is normal. The eyes can be cleaned

with lukewarm water (water that has been boiled and allowed to cool), using a cotton ball. Newborns are particularly vulnerable to eye infection because their tear ducts are not yet open and can therefore not drain viruses or bacteria away from the eye.

Symptoms of an eye infection are pus in the eye; the whites of the eye can turn red and there may be swellings around the eye. Clean the pus away with salt water and a cotton ball/ gauze swab. Clean from the inner eye to the outer in one motion. Take a new cotton ball/ gauze swab if you need to wash again.

It is important to practice good hand hygiene to avoid infection. You can buy small saltwater tubes (saline) at the pharmacy, or you can prepare the salt water yourself by boiling one liter of water and adding a teaspoon of salt. This mixture can last for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Contact the post-natal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if: symptoms do not improve within 24 hours.

Newborns and temperature

Newborns have difficulty controlling their temperature. It is therefore necessary to check that they are warm, but not too warm. A good way to check if a baby has the right amount of clothing on is to feel the baby's neck or chest under baby's underwear. If it

feels hot and slightly damp, so the baby is too hot. If the baby is cold, it will cry, just like it does when it is having its nappy change.

Remove some of the baby's clothing if it is too hot and put more clothes on if the baby is cold. If your baby feels very hot, you should take the baby's temperature.

Measuring the baby's temperature in the rectum with a digital thermometer is the most reliable method for newborns. If the temperature is more than 37.5C then the baby may have a fever. If the baby seems comfortable, try removing some clothes and then take a new temperature after half an hour to one hour.

Contact the postnatal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

The baby's temperature continues to be 37.5C or over.
The baby seems weak, is crying and not eating.

Heel prick test and newborn hearing screening

You have received a booklet about these tests.

Examination at your own doctor

Your baby must be examined by your own doctor when it is 5 weeks old. You must arrange an appointment with your doctor for this examination. You will find information about when your baby should have its vaccinations and examinations at the doctor in the booklet you received after you gave birth.

Prevention of Cot Death and avoiding misshapen head

You have received a booklet where you can read about the best and safest positions for your baby.

Vitamins

Your baby was given an injection after birth of vitamin K. Vitamin K is important for blood coagulation. Vitamin D helps the baby absorb calcium from food. Calcium is important in the formation of bones and teeth. Your baby should be given vitamin D daily from 14 days old until the age of two years. If you have any doubts about the dose your baby should take, ask your health visitor

Fresh Air

Newborns who have not started to gain weight are sensitive to the cold. It is therefore not recommended that they sleep outside, especially in the winter months. It is fine to go for a walk with your baby.

When your baby has started to put on weight and is thriving then he/she can begin to sleep outside.

If the weather is foggy and overcast, or if the baby has a temperature or a cough, then he/she should sleep inside.
The same applies if the temperature outside is under minus 10C. Put your pram in the shade if there is a strong sun.
Dress your baby according to the weather.
Check that your baby is warm and dry on the neck.
Baby's fingers and toes can feel a bit cold. If you are in any doubt, ask your health visitor.

Dear Mother

Vaginal bleeding

The first days after delivery it is normal to experience vaginal bleeding (lochia) which can be compared to heavy menstruation. It is also normal that you may see small clots of blood especially if you have been lying down or sitting for a while.

You can experience fresh bleeding or a bloody discharge for up to four weeks after giving birth. To reduce the risk of infection you should avoid using tampons, taking baths, swimming in the pool or in the sea, for as long as you continue to bleed.

It is recommended that you use a condom when you have sex if you continue to bleed.

Contact the postnatal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

You bleed more than the equivalent of a heavy period for more than 48 hours after delivery or the bleeding does not become less after 48 hours. -you have fresh bleeding for more than four weeks
The bleeding starts to have a foul smell, there are blood clots that are bigger than a tangerine, fever or continuous pain in your abdomen.

Emptying your bladder

The uterus contracts best when your bladder is empty. It is therefore important that you regularly go to the toilet.

You should have emptied your bladder, at the very latest, four hours after delivery.
You should then urinate at least every four hours for the next 24 hours.

It is important that you drink plenty, preferably 2-3 liters of liquid a day, both for the sake of breastfeeding and to ensure your wellbeing.

Contact the postnatal clinic, health visitor or your own doctor if:

You cannot urinate after delivery
You cannot empty your bladder

Afterbirth pains

Once you have given birth, your uterus must contract to minimize the risk of blood loss. These are called afterbirth pains, and they feel like contractions/period pains. Generally, the contractions will be worse during and after breastfeeding. This is normal for the first few days after delivery.

First time mothers typically find that afterbirth pains are quite mild, while with each subsequent birth they can become more uncomfortable. If you need to take pain relief medicine then you can take paracetamol tablets 1g, maximum dose 4 times in 24 hours. If this is not enough, you can also supplement this with ibuprofen tablets 400mg, maximum dose 3 times in 24 hours.

Tears/stitches

To prevent infection, it is important to ensure good hygiene. In the hospital the staff will show you what to do. At home you can use the shower head to rinse yourself. You should change your sanitary towel every time you go to the toilet. Your stitches will disappear on their own.

Check up at your doctor

Eight weeks after birth you need to have a gynecological examination at your own doctor.

You need to contact your doctor to make this appointment. At this appointment it's important to tell the doctor if you are still experiencing any discomfort from your stitches.

Pelvic floor exercises

After the birth of your baby your pelvic floor will be relaxed and weak. It is important to retrain your pelvic floor muscles. A well-trained pelvic floor is important for your sex life and the healing of any tears. At the same time pelvic floor exercises prevent problems with urine incontinence later in life.

You can start to train the day after delivery. You can get information and advice about training your pelvic floor as well as information about tears during delivery at www.gynzone.dk. Remember to do your pelvic floor exercises every day and for the rest of your life.

If you delivered by cesarean section then there are some exercises you should wait with, this is explained in the booklet: Get in shape after childbirth ( I form efter fødsel )

If you, during delivery, get a tear in your rectum then you will receive advice from a physiotherapist.

Baby blues

After the birth of your baby, your body will experience many changes. Your body must return to its non-pregnant state and at the same time ensure the production of milk. This causes major hormone changes.

At the same time, you are tired after delivery and probably will not get very much sleep. This can affect you, so that you more easily start to cry and feel that everything is too much. This typically happens between the 3rd and the 5th day after delivery.

It is important to know that this is normal, and it will usually go away again. Listening to your own needs currently is very important. Be honest and say no if you can't cope with visitors. Sleep when your baby sleeps, also in the daytime. If this continues over several weeks, it can be a sign of postpartum depression.

Fathers can also experience a reaction after birth. If this happens, be open about it and contact your health visitor or doctor.

Eating habits

You should eat regularly, and your diet should be varied, there is no reason to exclude certain food from your diet. Before you take any kind of medicine you should consult your doctor. To ensure your own wellbeing you should drink regularly. Quench your thirst with water and drink half a liter of milk a day.

It is a good idea to continue with vitamins and iron supplements if you are breastfeeding. The more varied your diet the less likely your baby is to be fussy because all flavors are found in breastmilk.

Smoking

Smoking is not recommended to be near your child. When a child is exposed to passive smoking the risks of cot death, asthma, airway illness, colds, asthmatic bronchitis and ear infections increase.

Breastmilk contains so many important substances that it is recommended by the Danish Health Board that you should breastfeed even if you smoke. Avoid smoking just before you breastfeed. The nicotine content in breastmilk is highest just after you have smoked.

Be aware that:

Smoking can reduce your milk supply which can shorten the length of time you can breastfeed.

Alcohol

The Danish Health Board recommends that breastfeeding women do not drink or that they restrict their alcohol consumption.

The concentration of alcohol in the mother’s milk is the same as in the mother’s blood.

Newborns have a significantly greater sensitivity to alcohol than an adult because the baby's liver is not fully developed.

Up to the age of three months, a baby burns alcohol at half the rate of an adult. The lower age limit for harmful effects is not known.

Sex after childbirth

It is very different from one person to another when you will feel like having sex again. You can have sexual intercourse when you want to. If you are still having vaginal bleeding/ discharge then you should use a condom, because the neck of the womb is still open and there is a risk of infection.

You may feel dry in your vagina, and you may be sore especially if you have had stiches.

REMEMBER: You can get pregnant, even if you are breastfeeding and have not yet had a menstruation.

Source:

Barn I vente.

Sundhedsstyrelsen 6. udgave 1 oplag 2010

Sunde børn - til forældre med børn i alderen 0-2 år.

Sundhedsstyrelsen og komiteen for sundhedsoplysning 2017

Kære nye familie, er udarbejdet af:

Pia Knudsen og Kirsten Okholm

Sygeplejersker, IBCLC-Neonatal- og barsel

Sygehus Sønderjylland, Aabenraa.

Kontakt

Neonatal og Barsel

Kresten Philipsens Vej 15

6200 Aabenraa

79972300

pinfoSHS-40373546-9 148254 | 28.08.2026