The long-awaited birth of a child has happened, the mother cautiously holds the baby in her arms, fearing to harm him. He still has noticeable swelling on his face, features are a little asymmetrical, his head is more like an egg, but all this does not matter to a deeply loving mother. These are the consequences of childbirth and after a few days they will disappear. It is more important to know what should be the development of the child for 1 week of life. What he feels, what he sees, and whether he sees at all.

First week: a new, important stage of life

Mom and baby are at home, congratulations are accepted, nurses who could give advice and help remained in the maternity hospital. A difficult, often frightening young mothers, stage begins - the development of the child. Childbirth is a difficult test not only for mothers. The baby is in pain too. But nature is arranged in such a way that a person does not remember all these torments.

Now it is important for mom to control the development of the child at every stage. Everything is rebuilt: the digestive, nervous system, the brain begins to work actively. Immediately after birth, the baby's body is covered with a primordial mask. After it is removed, when the baby is washed in the delivery room, erythema appears on the body - a skin reaction to contact with air.

Peeling may appear after four days. All this is not a pathology and does not need treatment. It is enough to wash the baby in water with herbs, and after bathing, treat the skin with special milk, oil.

What worries you in the first week of life

The first week is difficult not only for the skin. The child begins to eat independently. He has an exceptional sucking reflex, but digestion of food is more difficult. But this is not all the problems that parents worry about. There are a few more characteristic signs that make you panic, which you should not do. It can be:

• weight loss;
• icteric complexion;
• violation of heat transfer;
• hormonal crisis;
• stool consistency.

Mom can be frightened by the fact that during the first week the child loses weight. This is normal, since the lactation process has not yet returned to normal. After lactation improves, the child will actively gain weight.

Another problem that worries moms is jaundice. This is also not a deviation - the process is biological and is provoked by an increase in the level of bilirubin. The jaundice usually disappears after 6 days.

The process of heat transfer is imperfect in the first days of life, so the baby can freeze or overheat. It is not difficult to determine this: when overheated, excessive sweating is observed, and when hypothermia, the child's nose, hands and feet become cold.

Girls in the first week may experience discharge from the genitals, the mammary glands swell. In newborns, small nodules are noticeable on the skin. This shouldn't be a concern. Mom's hormones are still functioning in the baby's body. Such phenomena are called a hormonal crisis, which manifests itself with just such signs, but they will disappear without a trace in two weeks.

The baby's stool can change every day: immediately after birth, it is dark green in color, which is considered original. In the first days of life, the stool looks more like lumps of mucus. At the end of the first week, the process normalizes, and these are discharges that look like a yellowish slurry.

Experience and knowledge in the first week of life

Most people believe that a newborn is an absolutely unintelligent creature, but this is far from the case. Mom, having talked with the baby in the first week, will understand this herself. After all, the child already knows something:

• nutrition, the sucking reflex is inherent in nature;
• the baby can briefly focus his eyes;
• during sleep, you can see how he smiles;
• in a position lying on his stomach, the baby takes his head to the side;
• screaming, active movement of arms and legs, arching in the back if there is a loud sound nearby (this phenomenon is called the Moro reflex);
• when touching the sole, the baby bends the toes;
• if you press on the palm, the newborn grabs the mother's finger with the whole hand.
• when touched near the mouth, the baby begins to actively look for a source of nutrition, especially if feeding is to be done (Kussmaul reflex).

In the first week of life, newborns are able to distinguish between tastes and smells. A swab moistened with mother's milk was brought to the children's faces, and they turned their heads in the direction of the smell of milk. Newborns in the early days are constantly changing, and watching their development is extremely interesting.

Activities with the baby in the first seven days

In the first week of life, all the senses and touch of the baby are at the reflex level. During this period, it is important to develop the sense of smell, touch, and so on. It can be simple exercises in the form of:

• quiet mother's songs, lullabies;
• unhurried dances to calm music with a baby lying in her arms;
• constantly talk, name the newborn;
• attract the child's attention with a bell or a toy;
• blow on the nose, gently caress the soles, palms.

A child at this age sleeps more. Use the moments of awakening for active communication with your baby.

Care in the first days

Mom should know that after birth, all children's nails grow quickly. Manicure scissors must be taken when going to the hospital. It is desirable to pre-process them and use them only for their intended purpose.

Regularly clean the nose and eyes. Clothing should be used only from natural, soft fabrics without internal seams. Doctors do not prohibit bathing a newborn the next day. Use baby soap without dyes and fragrances. Boil bottles, nipples before each feeding. Massage, walks can be started only after three weeks.

The birth of a child is a normal physiological process inherent in every woman by nature. She quickly adapts to the new environment and begins to take care of the baby as if she did it regularly. But good advice and passive help have not hurt any mother yet.