The Ultimate Guide to Your Newborn's First Weeks at Home

So here you are, finally holding the little person you’ve been dreaming about, talking to and feeling kick inside you for so long.

Words can't describe the tsunami of elation, confusion and exhaustion flooding your sore, overworked body. And the anxiety.

Chances are, you haven't had much to do with babies. You've learned how to change a nappy at antenatal classes - but putting one on your own, actual live baby feels so different. It can come as a surprise to realise you don't inherently know how best to hold your baby, how to clean an umbilical stump, what colour his poo should be, or whether her skin has the right tone. Every new mother has been through this same experience, navigating as best she could.

There's lots of help out there, but it's important never to overlook that most important resource of all – your instincts. After all, no one knows your baby (and your body) like you do. For further insight into what exactly is going on – and, importantly, help you answer that continuous question: Is this normal? – read our survival guide,