What is Fourth Trimester and how it Impacts you and Your Baby: A Month by month journal

Baby Milestones

Vaccination  & Check Up

Your Nutrition and Wellbeing

Sensory Development

• A baby is born near sighted, vision is not developed fully until three months, but he’s able to ascertain your smell, heart beat and warmth, that’s why it’s most soothing for a baby when they’re in mother’s lap
• To express any displeasure, newborn cries, but you can comfort them with your voice, your touch & assessing their needs.
• Involuntary responses like REM (random eye movements), clenched fist are normal for babies.
• Your baby can’t control it’s temperature and breathing, so always provide him a calm place & dress him at least with TWO MORE layers of clothing than you are wearing

Vaccination Chart

• At Birth, Zero Day vaccines are administered along with all details of your baby’s anatomy, blood group, name for any formalities etc. It’s always better to finalize a name for the child before birth.

• Vaccination chart is provided at the time of discharge with all mandatory vaccines & due dates where your baby’s routine checkup also takes place.

Nutrition

• Natural birth or a C-section, your body has undergone a lot. You must take sufficient rest & continue your dose of Iron & Calcium until you are breast feeding.

• Eat food that’s easy to digest, is good source of all nutrients. Avoid consuming a lot of spinach and sour fruits as it will lead to your baby’s upset stomach.

• Abstain from junk food, alcohol & smoking. 

Weight Gain& Feeding

• Weight gain is directly linked to the number of feeds a baby takes, a breastfed baby needs a feed every 2-3 hours i.e. approx 8 to 12 times a day. A Formula fed baby requires less i.e. around 6 to 10 times a day.

• On average, a baby gains around 1kg weight every month till 6 months gradually slowing down to an avg. increase of 250- 500g per month till 1 year of age. As a thumb rule your baby should gain three times their birth weight on their 1st birthday.

• Baby knows to suckle but you need make him latch on to your breast for a proper feed, he should be able to breathe properly during feed. Satiating sound will make you aware when he’s done feeding.

Colic, Constipation& Loose motions

Reasons are unknown why babies develop colic, but to give relief, you need to give them a little tummy time. 

• Loose motions occur due to indigestion or gas or some infection in their gut. But we need to remember a baby’s GIT is not developed enough to digest complex proteins, carbs and fats. So you need to eat such food which doesn’t supply excess of these in breast milk.

Relaxation & Exercise

• You won’t attain your pre pregnancy body in a week’s time and don’t even rush for it. After the fourth trimester, your body will heal and you can start with easy workouts.
• Get a whole body massage everyday or weekly. Female chiropractor is available for you and your baby as a part of post natal rituals.
• You can learn to gently massage your baby to bond better with them.
• You will find your breasts leaking for at least 2 months, your body accommodates slowly with your child’s demand.

Size & Head circumference

• A baby grows one to one & half inch every month in first trimester and there should always be a positive growth in terms of his head size, as per pediatricians.

• At completion of 1 month, give ample tummy time (10-20 minutes a day) and let him try raise his neck, call name, make pleasing sounds. This will strengthen his muscles and will support head control.

Other health issues and allergies

Pediatricians are very supportive group of doctors when it comes to first time parents, when conditions seem out of control, always seek their help.

Love life

Before you give the love back, love yourself first, embrace your situation whole heartedly, talk to your partner, divide duties and initially you won’t want to indulge in intimacy, but try to get into it as soon and as often for your relationship.

Diaper Change

Babies should have at least 4 to 6 wet diapers a day, even if not change it every 3 hours. Most babies will have 1 or more bowel movements daily, but it may be normal to skip 1 or 2 days if consistency is normal.

New born Hygiene 

Newborns don’t need a bath daily, just top and tail is also good. However try to give them a bath every week by keeping room warm. Their mouth, gums and tongue should be cleaned once daily. 

These points are mentioned in my previous blogs already.

Baby Blues

More often than not, women feel depressed or there’s passive aggression, you feel anxious, dull and on the verge of breakdown. Sometimes it is due to sleep deprivation but when you start distancing yourself from your baby and get suicidal thoughts, immediately seek medical attention and talk to your closest people.