The Fourth Trimester: Navigating The Early Days

Introduction

If you’re expecting a little one or have already had your baby, you’ll more than likely have heard of trimesters, a term used to split your pregnancy into three recognisable stages. Much less-talked about is the fourth trimester, which describes the three month period after the birth of your baby. This is an extremely significant transitional period for both mother and baby, where both of you will experience the gradual adjustment into life together.

Mother holding newborn baby's hand

What is the fourth trimester?

The concept of the fourth trimester is almost an extension of pregnancy, particularly for the newborn infant. Despite popular belief, a new baby is not designed to seamlessly adapt into babyhood as soon as they’re born. In fact, research suggests that it is almost impossible in the way you might think. Every aspect of a baby’s environment changes so suddenly and dramatically that we cannot begin to comprehend the adjustment needed for some babies to become used to their new world. But if we take just some of these things into consideration, our babies’ behaviour around this time begins to make a lot more sense.

What might a baby’s behaviour look like in the fourth trimester?

Research into infant behaviour has found that this period, naturally, is the time your baby will cry the most. This can be extremely difficult for many parents, and while it is useful to know this behaviour is normal, navigating these early days can still feel very challenging at times. Your baby may cry for many reasons – hunger, feeling too cold or hot, an uncomfortable nappy, or simply wanting to be close to their caregiver. Babies might have some obvious discomfort caused by wind, but they can also get very easily overstimulated by their surroundings or simply upset when tired. Each of these reasons is completely valid; it’s important to remember that a baby cannot process a logical train of thought yet or articulate exactly what they need. All a newborn knows is that the warmth of a cuddle, the sound of a heartbeat and the feeling of a full belly is familiar, is safe, and feels like home.

Why do babies behave in this way?

Let’s think about what a baby’s world looks like for the 9 (often almost 10) months of pregnancy. They are always warm, suspended in and surrounded by amniotic fluid that protects and envelopes them completely. They are curled up, embraced by the womb and muscles of the mother, whose heartbeat drums audibly every minute of the day. Along with the constant comfort of this heartbeat, the mother’s voice is always close whenever it makes a sound. Hunger is an unknown sensation, as the placenta nourishes the baby effortlessly whilst soothing movement, rocking, darkness and warmth makes sleep come peacefully and naturally.

In a stark contrast to this simple world, a baby is born into a bright, busy and comparatively loud environment. Their senses are suddenly overloaded with sights and sounds that are no longer muffled, whilst their bodies, once naked, warm, and surrounded by fluid are dressed in nappies and dry, unfamiliar clothes. Their mattresses are still, much colder than they’re used to and unmoving. They are free from the soothing noises and movement their mother provided them with for so long. Their noses, previously unused are filled with strong smells and their ears can no longer hear their mother’s voice and heartbeat constantly. Previously always satisfied, babies now experience the sharp pangs of hunger and thirst – yet are often made to wait for this need to be met.

How can parents navigate the fourth trimester?

Being aware of what to expect in this period is extremely helpful to many parents, as it can answer the question so many ask themselves in the early days: ‘Why is my baby crying so much?’. Crying usually reaches its peak around 6-8 weeks, reducing to an all time low around the 4-month mark. You may notice that evenings can be a time when your baby is the most vocal or seems the most upset – again, this can feel very difficult at the time but is another completely normal newborn behaviour pattern. Our blog post ‘The Witching Hour’ covers tips on soothing a baby during those times.

newborn baby sleeping on mother's shoulder

Ultimately, your baby wants to feel safe and comforted as they did in the womb. Anything a caregiver can do to allow their baby to feel some of those sensations will be soothing and hopefully help during times of upset for the newborn. For example, wearing your baby in a sling or holding them close to your body where they can hear your heart beating and gently rocking them will bring familiarity and comfort. Feeding your baby responsively and at the earliest signs of hunger (before crying begins) and working out a way of sleeping safely that allows you to comfort your baby when needed can help significantly. Amongst numerous other benefits, newborns will often find comfort (and a regulated temperature and heartbeat) during skin-on-skin time with a caregiver - you or your partner could try this when your baby is difficult to soothe.

There is a well-known myth that holding a baby ‘too much’ will ‘spoil’ them. Both research on behaviour throughout childhood and biology itself disagree. In fact, reassuring your baby when they need it will keep their cortisol (stress hormone) levels and blood pressure lower, whilst helping them learn that they only need to cry when something is really wrong. By comforting your baby, you help them build confidence, trust and a feeling of security in their new world. This lays great foundations for independence and feeling safe and relaxed around sleep, rather than having associations of fear or loneliness.

How can the ‘fourth trimester’ concept help me?

There is undeniably a lot of pressure on new mothers to ‘bounce back’ to what others see as normal, or to settle into life with a newborn quickly and naturally. Yet during pregnancy, a mother is often better cared for, supported through the physical and emotional changes, with help given to ‘prepare’ for the new baby. Viewing the first three months following your baby’s birth as another trimester can help alleviate some of this pressure that` new parents might feel to breeze through the postpartum period easily. Each trimester of pregnancy can come with its own difficulties to navigate, from exhaustion to back pain, to sickness. The fourth trimester brings its own challenges which are equally valid, especially considering the essential time needed to recover from birth itself. Lowering expectations of yourself in the early days is vital – prioritise bonding with your baby, staying well fed and watered and perhaps a little time outside each day. If you can access a support network or have a relative or friend offering to do the dishes or bring a meal – let them!

Mother looking at her newborn baby during skin-on-skin time

Summary and Resources

Each mother and baby will adapt differently to the fourth trimester. It can be an emotional, overwhelming but beautiful time for a new family. If you feel like you need more support with this period or any of the challenges mentioned in this article, make sure to check out the resources below to ensure you aren’t left wondering why your world feels a little upside down at the moment. Embrace the things you can and accept the things you’re finding a little harder, but most importantly, be kind to yourself, prioritise your mental and physical wellbeing and eventually the rest will follow. You’re in the fourth trimester. You’ve got this.

Useful Resources

NCT Helpline: Practical and Emotional Support: feeding and other enquiries (UK)

0300 330 0700

NHS: Soothing a Crying Baby: Soothing a crying baby - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

The Lullaby Trust: Safe Sleep Guidelines (including Cosleeping) The Lullaby Trust - Safer sleep for babies, Support for families

Bibliography

The cry-it-out debate - Lyndsey Hookway

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