During pregnancy you sit for hours and imagine who your baby is going to look like and how will he or she feel the first time you hold him. You wonder how a normal baby looks, how will he react in is first hours of life. Let's answer some of these questions.

1. What does birth mean for the baby?

Imagine, you are in a place in total security; warmth; and without pain or any discomfort at all; and suddenly, from there you seem to get pushed and thrown into a world of intense sensations: light, cold, smells, noises. Your back is for the first time straight and your lungs feel funny and burn a little. From there, you go back to that universe of warmth; you feel the mother's skin and that feeling of safety when in her arms. In an ideal world the baby has just a few moments of harsh reality before he is returned to his mother's arms.

2. What is the baby going to look like?

His head might seem a little too big or even out of shape. His skin color may seem strange, his hands and feet might be a little blue. All this is normal and the stains and strange colors will disappear in 24-48 hours.

3. What does the baby feel in his first hours?

The first hour from the birth of your baby is critical. The transaction to the real world is hard and he has to adjust. If you need to know more, ask the doctor and the nurse about what they are doing to him and their results. You are allowed to ask and receive answers, after all it is your baby.

4. When is the right time to get close to the baby?

Put simply, the sooner the better. Those precious moments after birth is when the bonding process starts. After all the hard work and pain that mum has gone through, those first few moments holding baby can make it all seem worth while. If the room is not too bright, baby will open his eyes and concentrate on his mother's face.

5. Is it normal for a baby to want to go the sleep right after birth?

Birth is an exhausting experience and after an hour passes the mother and the baby must be left to sleep for a couple of hours. Also it is not unusual for the baby to sleep 4-8 hours more; maybe he will awake from time to time to get some food.