Life in the Fourth Trimester

Most mums-to-be spend every free moment gorging on information about their pregnancy trimesters and ‘what to expect’ during labour and child birth, whilst leaving the subsequent part (i.e. caring for your newborn) for later reading, once they’ve delivered their baby.

The truth is there is no better time to read about caring for your newborn than during your pregnancy. After your baby is born, you’re better-off using whatever free time you get to catch up on some shut-eye rather than poring over the fine-print on how to look after your baby.

The fourth trimester (in case you are wondering) is not a medical term. It’s just a phrase we’ve used to describe the first three months after childbirth where everything is new, including your baby. And while there’s plenty of hard work and settling down to do it can be an amazing time too.

So, whether you’re a first time mummy or a been there-done that mummy, the more you know the better prepared you can be. Here’s a sneak preview of concern areas for most mums in the first few weeks after childbirth and handy hints to stay on top of things.