~Closeness and Rest~

   Some 20 years ago, hospitals insisted that the baby spend its first 24 hours under the watchful eye of nursing staff, while mothers were encouraged to "recover" and get some sleep alone. But in these more enlightened times, parents and the medical fraternity have recognised the importance of mother and child closeness in those first few days.
   Immediately after birth, the hormone levels in a woman's body change dramatically. The combination of residual adrenalin and endorphins from labour can create energy patterns and mood swings where, even though you are physically tired, you may find yourself quite restless and even sitting bolt upright in bed like an excited schoolgirl! In the 24 hours after the natural births of my last 5 children I hardly slept at all. I found their births profoundly awakening, far more than tiring.
   If you don't feel like sleeping, don't worry. There is no harm and there is good reason for it. This mechanism of attentiveness is one of nature's ways of causing a new mother to watch carefully over her newborn in those first vital hours and days of life. Therefore what is really needed during this time are periods of spontane-ous rest or sleep according to your needs - not your expectations, or those of others - along with the opportunity for mother and baby to be close. If you do feel you are suffering from lack of sleep, a 20 - 40 minute Yoga Nidra when the baby is asleep will definitely help to replenish you.
   Keeping close and focussed primarily on your baby is an important and natural reaction. Regardless of what time of day the baby is born, most women find they spend a lot of time in the first few hours just looking at and touching their baby. These reactions of attraction, watchfulness and presence are both his needs as well as yours and can continue quite intensely for the first few days. Never feel that you are being "neurotic" because all you want to do is be with your baby. There may also be a need for more subtle, psychic communications between you in the early days. Some babies may need the intense love and presence of their mother nearby to alleviate any traumas experienced during birth, and a mother's presence can be the greatest healing power for such things. Meditation around your baby will certainly assist in this regard. Use the same technique you were doing during pregnancy to provide continuity of experience of the baby.
   If you decide to stay in hospital for a 

few days after the birth, rooming-in with your baby is to be strongly advised, even at night. Some maternity ward nurses will offer to take your baby after a feed to settle them, allowing you some extra rest. Whilst this may seem like a good idea, it can in fact begin the process of breaking down a mother's self confidence and only unsettle the developing relationship between you and your baby. If your baby is crying and you want help, ask the staff to stay with you giving support rather than taking the baby away for it.
   Once you are home, the baby should be sleeping close, nearby enough to hear their breathing and touch them if needed without having to get up fully yourself. For the first few nights, or even longer if you wish, leave a very dim lamp on all night or have a candle or dim lamp to use when you need to attend to the baby. This dim light means you don't have to flood the room with brightness - disturbing your own eyes, waking your partner or stimulating the baby into full wakefulness. It also means you can peer over if / when you want to check up on him. Near darkness also helps to keep you just on shallow sleep which is the ideal state if you are a bit of a worrier and until you gain the confidence to sleep more deeply.
   During the daylight hours of the first few days, mother and baby just need somewhere quiet to be around each other, even when the baby is asleep. Unless it is very cold weather, it is not necessary to keep the baby indoors all day (they are designed to withstand fresh air if well wrapped up). Sleeping in direct sunlight is not advised but being outside in mild sunlight or in the shade is OK during the warm part of the day. Fresh air, clean air, representative of each day's weather, is best for acclimatising a child's lungs and temperature regulating systems to their local environment, rather than stuffy, over-heated or chilly air-conditioned rooms. We should always remember that most babies are born fit enough to live the life nature has designed for them. Over-softening their early environment may do more harm than good.

	~Privacy~

   Having a baby usually brings lots of contact from excited well-wishers, friends and relatives. Although giving birth is certainly a celebration of life, and one to be shared around at some stage, it is each mother's right to have exactly the proportion of privacy and company she desires and what she considers to be prudent for the highly sensitive new infant.