The night of “JAVA”

Article written by Marie, childcare nurse

@Dominika_siejewicz_photography

You have just given birth to your baby, he has just spent his first 24/48 hours of life, calm, sleeping. Indeed, he is recovering from his birth, from the enormous effort that it required him to make, and you too!!!

And that’s when the night of JAVA arrives… But what does it mean?

The night of the JAVA takes place between the 2nd and/or 3rd nights after birth. It is a normal physiological phenomen that affects all (or almost) babies. It is due to the transition from fetal life to newborn life.

In fact, your baby has just spent 9 months in an aquatic bubble, warm, dark with muffled noises, the beating of your heart, narrow where he is in permanent contact with the walls of the uterus: a safe space. He then has to adapt to his new environment and this disturbs him; in addition to being solicited by numerous stimuli, he must make an effort to feed himself and maintain his body temperature.

Your baby will react by being agitated, crying a lot, wanting to nurse non-stop and will have difficulty consoling himself.

Knowing that this night is exciting will help you feel less helpless.

What do you (and your baby) need to get through this moment?

- Be reassured, cuddled, rocked
- Be skin to skin
- Being in the parents arms 
- Nursing as much as possible (if breastfeeding)
- Limit stimulation (visits, bright lights, noises, agitation)

Trust yourself, hold your baby, slow down. The co-parent is also there with you to get through this step.

This night can be stressful, for breastfeeding mothers, it occurs at the same time as the milk comes in, so don't hesitate for a second: put your baby to the breast, get help if you feel the need (position, pain, etc.) Sucking will help it to calm down and your milk will come in more quickly.

Breastfeed baby or not, we breathe, everything passes.

Take care of yourself.

Marie Louedec

“I have been a childcare nurse for 12 years and I created Marie Puéricultrice to offer parents and future parents perinatal support, support and follow-up necessary for the arrival of their baby.