1 Week old newborn baby

After nine months of waiting, wondering and anticipating, that sweet-smelling bundle of cuteness is in your arms. Your baby is finally here! Now is the time to start the bonding process with the newest member of your family. Keep in mind, those feelings of love and attachment don’t always happen automatically but sometimes take time to grow over the weeks and months ahead.

What can you expect during your newborn’s first week?

Sleeping basics

• Newborns up to 3 or 4 months old need 14 to 17 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period, usually waking every two to four hours to eat.

Newborn reflexology

• Newborn babies typically exhibit several reflexes, including the rooting reflex, the sucking reflex and the startle reflex.

Weight

• Baby will lose weight after birth. Mostly all newborns will leave the hospital weighing less than when they first checked in.

What will your baby be able to do this week?

He or She will be able to lift their head briefly when placed on their tummy. He or She will also be able to focus on objects that are within 8 to 15 inches away (distance your face will be when you’re gazing at him or her).

The most noticeable of newborn behaviors will be those built in relexes. For exmple rooting reflex (when his or her cheek is stroked he or  she will turn in that direction), which helps baby locate the breast or bottle, and the sucking reflex (ensuring baby gets those feeds at the breast or bottle).

Don’t be surprised if your baby seems very sleepy. Possibly designed to give newborns a chance to recover from the exhausting work of being born. He or She will have longer periods of wakefulness as the weeks progress.

1 Week Old Baby’s Health

Vitamin K Injection

• When in hospital, medical personnel will administer a vitamin K shot to enhance your baby’s blood clotting ability.

Hepatitis B Shot

• The heapatits B vaccine will be given to your baby and blood will be taken to screen for PKU and 34 other serious metabolic disorders.

Newborn Screening Tests

• Other screenings on tap for newborn include a test for congenital heart diseases and a hearing test.

Postpartum Tips and Info

Understanding Baby’s Weight

Don’t be alarmed to learn that your baby will weigh on average 5 to 10 percent less upon discharge from the hospital or birthing center than she did at birth. What’s up with the downturn? Several factors come into play, including your own diet and weight, both before and during pregnancy. If you’re overweight, you may have a heavier baby. If you don’t get enough nutrients while you’re pregnant, your baby may be smaller.

Another factors that can play a role include your prenatal health; your own birth weight and genetics. Whether your baby is a boy or a girl, baby boy tend to be heavier. If this is your firstborn, they tend to be smaller than subsequent children. If  your baby is a twin or triplet, multiples tend to be smaller than singletons.

Baby just losing fluid, which is normal right after delivery and because baby doesn’t need a lot of food right now. However within 10 to 14 days, baby will be back up to their birth weight, if not over. Your pediatrician will monitor your baby’s weight at well-baby checkups, most likely at 1, 2 and 4 weeks of age. Many nursing or new-mommy support groups have baby scales, so you can get a quick read.

Newborn Jaundice Signs

Jaundice occurs in 60 percent of all babies, typically showing up two to three days after birth and lasting a week to 10 days.

It will goes away on its own or sometimes with mild treatment with no side effects. It is important to watch for the telltale signs especially since the condition may not develop until after you bring your baby home from the hospital and seek treatment if necessary. Jaundice often appears on the face first and then spreads to the rest of the baby’s body.

A good way to check is to place your baby in natural sunlight and gently press her forehead and nose with your fingers. As for black and brown-skinned babies, the yellowing may be visible only in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. If the skin appears yellow where you made the impressions, call your doctor. The doctor will probably want to examine your baby and take a blood sample to determine the levels of bilirubin in the blood.