The first 24 hours after birth are intense, surreal, emotional, and often nothing like what people imagine. Even if you prepared for labor, this window can feel disorienting because so much happens physically, emotionally, and logistically in a very short time. Knowing what is normal can reduce fear, shame, and unnecessary worry.
This is not a checklist of what you should feel. It is a grounded overview of what many parents experience in the first day after birth, whether the birth was vaginal or cesarean, medicated or unmedicated, planned or unexpected.
What to Expect in the First 24 Hours After Birth
The Immediate Moments After Birth
Right after birth, time often feels distorted. Some parents feel euphoric, others feel numb, shaky, quiet, overwhelmed, or deeply emotional. All of these responses are normal.
Physically, your body is still in labor mode. Hormones surge, adrenaline may still be high, and your nervous system is trying to come down from an intense experience. Shaking is very common. So is feeling cold, thirsty, or suddenly exhausted.
If there are no complications, your baby is usually placed on your chest for skin-to-skin contact. This helps regulate your baby’s breathing, heart rate, and temperature, and supports early bonding. If immediate skin-to-skin is not possible, it can often happen later.
Delivery of the Placenta and Post-Birth Procedures
After the baby is born, the placenta still needs to be delivered. This usually happens within minutes but can take longer. You may feel pressure or mild contractions as this happens.
Your provider will check your uterus to ensure it is firm and contracting properly. This can feel uncomfortable or intense, especially if you are sensitive or already sore. Bleeding is normal, but your care team monitors it closely.
If there are tears or an incision, repairs are typically done during this time. Even with pain relief, many parents are surprised by how aware they feel. It is okay to ask for pauses, explanations, or additional comfort measures.
What Your Baby Is Doing in the First Hours
Newborns are often alert in the first hour after birth. Many show feeding cues like rooting, bringing hands to the mouth, or turning their head side to side. This is sometimes called the “golden hour.”
Not all babies latch or feed right away, and that does not mean something is wrong. Some babies are quiet, sleepy, or need a bit more time to transition.
Your baby will be checked periodically for breathing, color, tone, and reflexes. In hospital settings, routine measurements and screenings may happen within the first few hours, depending on your preferences and policies.
Babies often sound congested, sneeze, grunt, or breathe irregularly. This can be alarming, but much of it is normal newborn adjustment.
Feeding in the First 24 Hours
Whether you plan to breastfeed, formula feed, combo feed, or are still deciding, feeding in the first day is often slower and less predictable than expected.
If breastfeeding, your body produces colostrum, a small amount of nutrient-dense early milk. It is normal for babies to feed frequently but take in very small volumes. Cluster feeding, short feeds, and long pauses are all common.
If bottle feeding, your baby may only take small amounts at a time. Spitting up, pauses, or slow feeding are normal early on.
It is common to worry that the baby is not getting enough. In the first 24 hours, output (wet diapers, stools), alertness, and feeding cues matter more than exact amounts.
How Your Body May Feel
Physically, many parents are surprised by how intense the postpartum body sensations are.
You may experience
• Strong uterine cramping, especially during feeding
• Vaginal soreness, swelling, or pressure
• Burning or discomfort when urinating
• Heavy bleeding similar to a very heavy period
• Abdominal tenderness after a cesarean
• Extreme fatigue paired with wired energy
Afterpains can be stronger with subsequent births and during breastfeeding. These cramps are a sign your uterus is shrinking back down.
Getting out of bed for the first time can feel daunting. Dizziness, weakness, or emotional overwhelm are common. Ask for help. You are not meant to do this alone.
Emotional Shifts You Might Not Expect
The first 24 hours can bring emotional highs and lows in rapid succession.
Some parents feel joy and relief. Others feel detached, tearful, anxious, or strangely empty. Many feel all of it at once.
Hormonal shifts begin immediately after birth. Combined with sleep deprivation, physical stress, and the enormity of responsibility, emotions can feel amplified.
This does not predict postpartum depression or anxiety. It is part of a massive physiological and psychological transition.
You are not required to feel a certain way to be a good parent.
Visitors, Rest, and Overstimulation
Many parents underestimate how vulnerable they feel in the first day.
Your body is healing. Your nervous system is raw. Your baby is adjusting to an entirely new world.
Visitors, questions, photos, and expectations can feel overwhelming even if they are well-intended. It is okay to limit contact, ask for quiet, or change your mind about who you see.
Rest is not a luxury in the first 24 hours. It is protective. Sleep may come in short bursts, but even closing your eyes and reducing stimulation helps.
Medical Monitoring and Checks
In the first day, you and your baby will be monitored regularly.
For you, this may include
• Blood pressure checks
• Uterine checks
• Bleeding assessment
• Pain management support
For your baby, this may include
• Vital signs
• Feeding and output tracking
• Newborn screenings depending on timing and consent
Ask questions. Request explanations. You are allowed to understand what is happening to your body and your baby.
Going Home or Settling In
Whether you go home within hours or stay longer, the transition can feel abrupt.
One moment you are surrounded by professionals. The next, it is just you and your baby.
This shift can feel empowering, scary, grounding, or overwhelming. Often all at once.
Support in the first 24 hours matters more than having everything figured out.
A Final Reassurance
The first 24 hours after birth are not about doing things perfectly. They are about recovery, adjustment, and beginning.
You are learning your baby.
Your baby is learning the world.
Your body is learning how to heal.
Confusion does not mean failure.
Emotion does not mean weakness.
Needing help does not mean you are unprepared.
It means you are human, and you have just done something enormous.