First days at home

Your baby may look a bit scrunched up, but they’re already highly intelligent: they know your voice, can see 25cm in front of them and they recognize your smell too. If you lean in close and stick your tongue out you might find they try to copy, even in the first week.

Babies are born with certain reflexes, which will disappear by six months when they gain real coordination over their movements. But for now, you will notice that if their head/neck are not supported they will throw their arms wide out (the Moro reflex). They will grip your finger tightly if you put it into their palm, and they also have powerful sucking and rooting reflexes. If you stroke their cheek they will instinctively turn their head and open their mouth for food. It’s a useful way of knowing if they are hungry in the first eight weeks.

Don’t be surprised if you baby loses 7-10 per cent of their body weight this week, especially if they are breastfed; they should regain it within 10 days. Two-thirds of babies also get jaundice in their first few days of life: their eyes and skin may look a little yellow. Make sure they get some sunlight and feed often.

During the first week, your midwife will probably visit to give a heel-prick test. This tests for cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, thyroid deficiency and other rare conditions.

Make photos with your cute little one, upload to the App. Write about these very first days of the baby's life.