The First 24 Hours With Your Newborn

Nothing Can Fully Prepare You

The first 24 hours with your newborn are a blur of emotions, exhaustion, and wonder. Here is a rough guide to what happens so you are not completely caught off guard.

Immediately After Birth

Once baby arrives:

• Baby is placed on mom chest for skin-to-skin contact
• Medical staff checks baby breathing and color (Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes)
• Cord is clamped and cut (you might do this)
• Baby is weighed, measured, and gets ID bands
• First feeding attempt (often within the first hour)

The First Few Hours

• Baby might be very alert or very sleepy
• Various tests: hearing screening, vitamin K shot, eye ointment
• You will move from delivery to a recovery room
• Mom needs to rest and recover
• Feeding attempts continue (this takes time to establish)

Your Role

• Support first feedings - Bring water and snacks to mom
• Learn from nurses - Watch how they handle, diaper, and swaddle baby
• Skin-to-skin - Do it yourself too. It helps with bonding and baby temperature regulation
• Manage visitors - Mom needs rest more than she needs to entertain family
• Handle communications - Send updates so mom does not have to

What to Expect From Baby

• They look weird (cone head, swollen features, skin issues), all normal
• They do not do much besides eat, sleep, and poop
• First poop (meconium) is black and tarry
• They may not cry much or cry constantly, both are normal

What to Expect From Yourself

You might feel:

• Overwhelming love
• Terror at the responsibility
• Exhaustion after labor (yes, you too)
• Disconnect (bonding sometimes takes time, this is okay)

One Tip

Put your phone down sometimes. Take photos, yes, but also just be present. You will never get this exact moment back.

Ready to start your journey?

Dad Suite gives you week-by-week guidance through trying to conceive, pregnancy, and new fatherhood.

Download Dad Suite