Even your baby needs some rest, after all, he or she has just finished an amazing journey from the womb into the outside world. During the first few hours, the baby needs to adapt to a new environment and therefore wants to be as close to you as possible.

Here are some basics you need to know about your baby’s sleep pattern in the first day after birth. It’s a good idea to know what to expect so that you don’t worry unnecessarily.

As babies do not understand the difference between day and night, they tend to sleep for quite long in the first 24 hours after birth. Sometimes they may sleep up to 18 hours, not at a stretch though, but in intervals. This is not unusual. The baby may be up once in 2 to 3 hours for feeds. As the baby’s stomach is still very tiny, he or she may not feed a whole lot and maybe hungry every few hours. Other than feeding and pooping, the baby may be sleeping all the while.

The birth process brings in a lot of exhaustion for your baby. To overcome that, they need to sleep for long especially on the first day. Long sleep hours are essential to facilitate your baby’s growth. So do not fret over the baby’s sleep. Instead, you ghouls also try and get some sleep, when the baby is asleep. As a new mom, you need to get yourself adjusted to this new routine. It is important that you take care of yourself too, not just your baby

Sometimes, new moms tend to check on their sleeping babies often during the night. Your baby may be sleeping quietly or sometimes accompanied by a strange noise. It’s normal and you will gradually get used to it. Some babies tend to breathe quickly and then pause for a couple of seconds while sleeping. This is normal too and not something to be worried about

It’s a good idea to swaddle your newborn to make them comfortable. This reminds them of being in the womb and makes them calm and easily fall asleep

Giving birth and looking after a newborn can be a very tiring experience for the mother. You will probably pass the first few days, worried and anxious if you are doing the right thing for your baby. It is perfectly normal and all the new parents go through this phase. But remember these sleepless night will not last forever. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. At the hospi,tal the nurses and other staff will happily offer support so that you can get some rest and recoup. Your spouse and family members will be happy to offer help. If you live in a joint family, you will probably have a lot of help .

All this may sound overwhelming at first, but every mother gets used to it in a couple of days. The first few days are the most difficult. It is thrilling as well as exhausting for both the mother and her baby. It’s a good idea to have someone over to help. As the days pass, both the baby and the mother get used to each other and know what to expect. Things move quite smoothly then on. Remember, your baby’s routine keeps changing quite often and it is quite interesting to watch your baby as they keep growing.