It's over The birth is over Miraculously, the pain has gone What a relief! And resting in your arms is your baby

A new little person
You may be feeling grateful, elated, happy, empty, shocked, confused, tired - or all of the above

Bonding with baby
Exactly how women feel after giving birth varies Bonding with your baby can take a few days, sometimes weeks, or happen instantaneously All scenarios are quite okay

Your baby might be looking at you curiously He or she already recognizes your voice, but this is the first time you’ve seen each other Your baby's vision isn’t very good yet, but luckily enough, lying there in your arms, he or she can see as far as your face

Try breastfeeding straight away
Straight after being born, many babies are alert, as their adrenaline has been flowing throughout the birth They’ll probably be only too happy to try breastfeeding But if the birth was long and tiring, your baby will probably sleep from exhaustion They may need to recuperate first

Baby from top to toe
Ten fingers and ten toes For some strange reason, we count them We carefully open those tiny little clenched hands and count And wonder how anyone can be this small

If you look at their head, you’ll notice it’s slightly cone-shaped – that’s what happens when you make your way down a tight passage Don’t worry, it will round out The skin will be a little red and blotchy and there might be a few spots on baby’s face; they’ll clear up after a few days There might be a little lanugo hair left on their shoulders and back, and a whitish greasy substance, like petroleum jelly, in the folds of skin Do you see any bite marks from the stork? That’s a birthmark It will fade over time The hands may be a little greyish-blue because circulation is not at its best just yet

Support baby’s head
Your little baby still has a lot of work to do, such as developing muscle strength Right now, your baby can’t even carry the weight of his or her head It’s far too big in relation to the size of its body It’s important you support their head when you’re lifting or holding them

Hold your baby close to you for as long as you like… You’re a mother now

Congratulations!