The first six weeks of a baby's life can be intense for parents. From dealing with any lingering pains or discomfort from childbirth, to lack of sleep, adapting to being responsible for a new little life and balancing life chores – there's a lot to cope with.
That being said, there's so much joy in getting to know your little one in the first few weeks, from watching them do things for the very first time, introducing them to your family and friends and all the endless hugs and cuddles. All this can make all the challenges worth it.
The six-week point is a massive milestone for your baby, and there's a lot to be aware of – both positive and negative.
According to Illiyin Morrison, midwife and birth trauma expert at The Baby Show which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from May 12 to 14, new mums can start to feel lonely at this stage of parenthood.
Speaking to The Mirror for International Midwives Day, Illiyin, aka Mixingupmotherhood, explained that this is because you might not be getting as many visitors as you were previously.
She explained: "At this stage, you might feel like the visitors have tailed off and you might start to feel a little bit lonely.
"It also means that it could be time to get out of the house so look into local groups, see what's available in your area and take the leap into the outside world.
"Go and spend some time meeting other people and starting to build your motherhood village."
Your baby's habits will also change hugely during this stage. For example, you might find that they are awake more of the time.
Illiyin said: "Those lovely, long snoozy periods may have reduced so you might go from 18 hours of sleep a day to something more like 10 to 12.
"So, you might feel that baby seems way more alert. This might be a good thing for some people or it can be difficult for others."
Another change you might notice is that your baby wants more attention. Illiyin explained: "Babies at six weeks might want to play with you more- such as trying to touch dangling things etc and hold your attention a little bit longer.
"They're starting to form the ability to memorise things and so they might want to see you again and again."
Another amazing change during this time is that your baby might begin to smile, or lift their head. Illiyin said: "This is a lovely development time as their first smile is an incredible moment. And it all might feel a little less thankless."
During this time, the midwife recommends introducing a "gentle routine" for your baby. She explained: "I'm not talking a sleep routine as it's too soon but because their memory's developing at this stage, if you were to start a bath, story, feed, bed routine, give it a go - it could be really nice for the baby and really nice for you and also gets your partner involved".
It's also a time to check in with how you're feeling physically. Illiyin explained: "By six weeks you might have been signed off by your GP to have sexual intercourse again.
"Six weeks is an arbitrary figure and you should check in with yourself and see how you're feeling. You might be surprised at how well you're feeling, and equally you might feel like you need a little more time.
"Both of these are absolutely fine and if you're not feeling well enough, just make sure that you let them know so they can signpost you to further support. This could be mental and emotional support such or physical support such as a physio."
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