The document discusses the fourth trimester, which begins after childbirth. It is a time of physical, emotional, and mental adjustment for both mother and baby. During this period, mothers experience sleep deprivation, anxiety about caring for their newborn, and emotions ranging from happiness to anxiety. Babies are vulnerable and cannot regulate their temperature, breathing, or crying. The document then provides a month-by-month overview of baby milestones, vaccinations, nutrition needs for mothers, weight gain expectations, and common issues like colic during the first month of the fourth trimester.

1. What is Fourth Trimester and how it impacts you and your
baby: A Month by month journal
A woman has many divine transformations in her life, one such transition is motherhood! You
will surprise yourself with the amount of mental, physical and emotional endurance you got. You
are in a rush to know it all about trimesters, labor and life after delivery. There is an ever
evolving paranoia you experience with each passing trimester and it just doesn’t end after
delivery and therefore it is often referred as the Fourth Trimester, which is nothing but extended
maternity except for the fact that your baby is in your lap instead of your womb.
What happens during fourth trimester?
Fourth trimester begins as soon as you deliver and your life is never going be the same again.
The upsurge of emotions (no matter the happiness or anxiety) brim your eyes with tears. It’s a
time when you’re clueless and seek support. Your anxieties about their development and your
fears: whether I'm being a good mother, am I able to produce enough milk, when he/she will
recognize me… such thoughts keep hovering around and it gets overwhelming. This phase is
woven around your child; your new center of universe.
Sleep deprivation takes a better of you, when your baby cries, you are bound to get anxious
because initially you don't understand whether they need a feed, burp, cuddle, warmth or lower
temperature or another diaper change; you find crying in sync with your little one... As much as
you find yourself stuck in a chaos, believe me your baby could vouch he’s feeling worse, only if
he knew how to express! He is at the most vulnerable here (and so are you oh so fragile... but
you don’t get time for yourself initially and that's alright).
Be prepared
A new mother, immediately takes the roles of a provider and protector; we create glass walls
between the ones who give advice (wanted & unwanted) however to run, you need to learn to
walk first. There will be times when you'll feel your celebrity status has been rolled out, this little
being is your center of universe and that’s adaptable, things turn ugly when everyone's just
telling you do's and don'ts without asking you how you feel for once, no matter how much a
brave face you show up, you break down more than once a day in front of your baby. I therefore,
made a month by month list for women like you and I.

2. The First month
Baby Milestones Vaccination & Check Up Your Nutrition and
Wellbeing
Sensory Development
• A baby is born near sighted, vision
is not developed fully until three
months, but he’s able to ascertain
your smell, heart beat and warmth,
that’s why it’s most soothing for a
baby when they’re in mother’s lap
• To express any displeasure,
newborn cries, but you can
comfort them with your voice,
your touch & assessing their needs.
• Involuntary responses like REM
(random eye movements),
clenched fist are normal for babies.
• Your baby can’t control it’s
temperature and breathing, so
always provide him a calm place &
dress him at least with TWO
MORE layers of clothing than you
are wearing
Vaccination Chart
• At Birth, Zero Day
vaccines are
administered along with
all details of your baby’s
anatomy, blood group,
name for any formalities
etc. It’s always better to
finalize a name for the
child before birth.
• Vaccination chart is
provided at the time of
discharge with all
mandatory vaccines &
due dates where your
baby’s routine checkup
also takes place.
Nutrition
• Natural birth or a C-
section, your body has
undergone a lot. You
must take sufficient rest
& continue your dose of
Iron & Calcium until you
are breast feeding.
• Eat food that’s easy to
digest, is good source of
all nutrients. Avoid
consuming a lot of
spinach and sour fruits as
it will lead to your
baby’s upset stomach.
• Abstain from junk food,
alcohol & smoking.
Weight Gain& Feeding
• Weight gain is directly linked to
the number of feeds a baby takes, a
breastfed baby needs a feed every
2-3 hours i.e. approx 8 to 12 times
a day. A Formula fed baby
requires less i.e. around 6 to 10
times a day.
• On average, a baby gains around
1kg weight every month till 6
months gradually slowing down to
an avg. increase of 250- 500g per
month till 1 year of age. As a
thumb rule your baby should gain
three times their birth weight on
their 1st birthday.
• Baby knows to suckle but you
need make him latch on to your
breast for a proper feed, he should
be able to breathe properly during
feed. Satiating sound will make
Colic, Constipation&
Loose motions
Reasons are unknown
why babies develop colic,
but to give relief, you
need to give them a little
tummy time, learn to
massage their tummy
gently and BURP/ WIND
baby(https://nabhandmommy.
wordpress.com/2020/04/26/coli
c-in-baby-how-to-soothe-it/)
• Loose motions occur
due to indigestion or gas
or some infection in
their gut. But we need to
remember a baby's GIT
is not developed enough
to digest complex
proteins, carbs and fats.
So you need to eat such
food which doesn't supply
Relaxation & Exercise
• You won’t attain your pre
pregnancy body in a
week’s time and don’t
even rush for it. After the
fourth trimester, your body
will heal and you can start
with easy workouts (my
blog on postpartum workout &
yogahttps://wordpress.com/read
/blogs/143128982/posts/308).
• Get a whole body massage
everyday or weekly.
Female chiropractor is
available for you and your
baby as a part of post natal
rituals.
• You can learn to gently
massage your baby to
bond better with them.
• You will find your breasts
leaking for at least 2

3. you aware when he’s done feeding. excess of these in breast
milk.
months, your body
accommodates slowly
with your child’s demand.
Size & Head circumference
• A baby grows one to one & half
inch every month in first
trimester and there should
always be a positive growth in
terms of his head size, as per
pediatricians.
• At completion of 1 month, give
ample tummy time (10-20
minutes a day) and let him try
raise his neck, call name, make
pleasing sounds. This will
strengthen his muscles and will
support head control.
Other health issues and
allergies
Pediatricians are very
supportive group of
doctors when it comes to
first time parents, when
conditions seem out of
control, always seek their
help.
To read home remedies on
issues like fever, cold etc.
read my series
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse
/mother-all-home-remedies-1-
cold-cough-samriddhi-bajpai-
shukla
Love life
Before you give the love
back, love yourself first,
embrace your situation
whole heartedly, talk to your
partner, divide duties and
initially you won’t want to
indulge in intimacy, but try
to get into it as soon and as
often for your relationship.
Diaper Change
Babies should have at least 4 to 6
wet diapers a day, even if not change
it every 3 hours. Most babies will
have 1 or more bowel movements
daily, but it may be normal to skip 1
or 2 days if consistency is normal.
New born Hygiene
Newborns don’t need a
bath daily, just top and tail
is also good. However try
to give them a bath every
week by keeping room
warm. Their mouth, gums
and tongue should be
cleaned once daily.
These points are
mentioned in my previous
blogs already.
Baby Blues
More often than not, women
feel depressed or there's
passive aggression, you feel
anxious, dull and on the
verge of breakdown.
Sometimes it is due to sleep
deprivation but when you
start distancing yourself
from your baby and get
suicidal thoughts,
immediately seek medical
attention and talk to your
closest people.
I would be lying if I say I was ok in the 4th
trimester with sleeping 2 hours and getting up for
almost 45 minutes during night for feeding my son, but I wasn’t sulking either. There were
times, he would lose his temper and cry inconsolably if feed was delayed and refused to feed!
Then there were times of reboot. He was aware of my presence; he could recognize my voice and
expressions. I was unsure if his vision was blurred, but believed the books. His eyes were the
most beautiful, mystic and transient ones I’ve seen, with the blends of stark grey and a dotted
halo around the iris (they turned dark brown by 6th
month or so)… I feel like a poet describing
the beauty of her son; but that’s what happens during the first month of the fourth trimester. You
can’t help but cherish your little bundle of joy, comparing their size with your arms, trying to fit
your finger in their tiniest of fists, just watch them in awe when they smile in their sleep and
those REM’s are the times you can’t help but wonder the beauty of creation!