You may also feel muscles around your vagina and your anus contracting. Your urination and bladder control should return to normal after the first month or two. All rights reserved. Reused with permission. In the first hour or two afterbirth, if you like.
Most newborn babies are eager to suckle after birth.
You can apply a warm, moist cloth to your breasts before nursing to make the milk flow more easily. You can take an analgesic 30 to 45 minutes before nursing, and apply ice packs after nursing if your breasts are tender. If you are not breastfeeding, your breasts will be hard and swollen with milk for the first week or so. You may need to wear a tight-fitting bra, apply ice packs, and use analgesia if your breasts are sore. The first milk, called colostrum, is thick and yellow and contains antibodies which help babies fight and prevent many diseases.