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Mother with newborn baby. The postpartum (or postnatal) period begins after childbirth and is typically considered to last for six weeks. [1] There are three distinct phases of the postnatal period; the acute phase, lasting for six to twelve hours after birth; the subacute phase, lasting six weeks; and the delayed phase, lasting up to six months.
Physical development. Typically grows at a similar rate to the previous month, usually growing between 1 and 1.5 inches (2.5 and 3.8 cm) and gaining about 2 pounds (910 g). [23] Resting heart rate is usually between 80 and 160 beats per minute, and it typically stays within that range until the infant is about one year old. [18] Motor development
If given expert postnatal care, some preterm babies weighing less than 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) may survive, and are referred to as extremely low birth weight or immature infants. [ 21 ] Preterm birth is the most common cause of infant mortality, causing almost 30 percent of neonatal deaths. [ 22 ]
Complete expulsion of the baby signals the successful completion of the second stage of labour. Some babies, especially preterm infants, are born covered with a waxy or cheese-like white substance called vernix. It is thought to have some protective roles during fetal development and for a few hours after birth.
The postpartum period also referred to as the puerperium, is the postnatal period that begins immediately after delivery and extends for about six weeks. [59] During this period, the mother's body begins the return to pre-pregnancy conditions that includes changes in hormone levels and uterus size.
Most of the time these postnatal changes are normal and can be managed with medication and comfort measures, but in a few situations complications may develop. [1] Postpartum physiological changes may be different for women delivering by cesarean section. [2]
In certain cases, the transition from fetal to postnatal circulation may not occur as described above due to complications leading to persistently high pulmonary vascular resistance. Preterm infants are born without fully mature lungs lacking the surfactant compound that allows alveoli to remain open by overcoming the surface tension of water. [10]
There is a genetic cephalocaudal (head-to-foot) trend in both prenatal and postnatal development. [2] As a baby grows, they learn to sit up, stand, walk, and run; these capacities develop in a specific order with the growth of the nervous system, even though the rate of development may vary from child to child.