Caring For A New Baby
A new baby is one of the most precious additions to the family. There are so many things that new parents need to remember regarding caring for a newborn. Safety is probably the foremost of these things as well as giving the new baby as much love as they possibly can. Many of the things that a parent needs for the baby are usually given as a new baby gift during baby showers, christenings and welcome home parties.
New Baby Basics
There are a great many things that should be remembered when caring for a newborn. Among these things is to practice patience with the baby. Babies have no other way to communicate except to cry, which is why for every little thing it wants, the baby usually cries. A new baby usually drinks milk every two to three hours every day. Since there is no set time and this time is an estimate, you can expect your baby to be variable when it comes to eating time.
Feeding the new baby with breast milk or formula is one of the many things that new parents should think about. Breast milk is basically made up of all the nutrients and protection that baby needs for the first few months of life. Breast milk gives colostrum, which boosts the baby’s immune system and helps to protect from sickness. On the other hand, if the mother does not have the capacity to produce enough breast milk, the parents might need to supplement with formula or use formula fully to feed the new baby.
Holding the new baby is one thing that needs to be learned. Since the baby is not able to support his or her body as of yet, it is advisable to support the neck and back with an arm when carrying the new baby. Avoid letting the baby’s head hang limply and make sure that as the baby is being carried the arms or legs are not pinched or trapped.
The clothes that a new baby is to wear should not be too warm or too cool. Avoid using buttons that might come off as well as safety pins that might poke your baby. Cotton is the best clothing to use for a new baby since this is one of the least allergenic materials. Snaps are preferable to buttons and ties. Mittens are not preferable since these can hide the state of the new baby’s fingers and hand. There have been some cases of a piece of string tangling in the baby’s hand and cutting off circulation.
Tips For Settling In With Your Newborn
As the parents of a newborn, life has changed drastically. Babies take up most of your day. They require feedings every three to four hours. They require constant attention while they are awake, too. As a new mother or father your job may feel overwhelming but in fact it can be one of the most wondrous times you experience. In order to make sure that your new days as a new parent go well, consider these tips on incorporating your life into your newborns sudden demand for attention.
Developing A Routine
One of the keys to your success as a new parent will be your ability to set up a new routine for your child. A routine allows for everything to get done that needs to within the allotment of limited time you have. A routine is nearly possible at first because your newborn will dictate every minute that you have. Yet, it is still likely you can put in place a few crucial details.
- Go to bed early. Newborns sleep most of the day away, so take advantage of this. You may have to get up three or more times per night but going to bed early will still allow you to have enough sleep.
- Make morning time a time for feedings and small things to do around the home. Don’t expect to do a lot of chores during that first month. Instead, incorporate more time for just doing things in the short amount of time you have.
- In the afternoon, perhaps when the other parent comes home from work, take a break. This is a good time to throw a load of laundry into the wash and relax in a bath. Give yourself a break before the overnight shift starts again.
Breastfeeding Help
At the hospital, your nurses will help you learn techniques for breastfeeding. Take advantage of this help and ask questions. Talk to friends about their experience and learn from their mistakes. If you are finding it difficult to get your baby to nurse, call the hospital and talk to the nurses. Most hospitals have nurses who are able to come out and give you help.
Remember that breastfeeding your baby will take time. Therefore, don’t jump at the first cry baby makes. Instead, get to the restroom first and even get something to drink. Flip on the television or grab a book to read. This way, you aren’t rushed because you are thinking about the million things you could be doing.
A warm cloth or a warm shower will help drastically if you are feeling engorged. You may want to use a heating pad laid over the top of your breasts. This will help you relax and the pain to subside.
Don’t Fret
Over the next few weeks, you will receive advice for plenty of friends and family members. Their advice may be sound, and their intentions good, but really what you use from it is up to you. Don’t feel obligated to do whatever they tell you.
Accepting help from anyone that offers is always a good thing. Do not feel like you have to do this all on your own. It is difficult and it will feel like you are not a good mom if you can’t handle it all. This isn’t true, though. If your neighbor would like to visit and perhaps give baby a bottle, go ahead and let them. This is a good time for you to sneak off for a quick shower, for example.
When it comes to giving out the tasks to those who are looking to help, give them the tasks that take longer to do. For example, if your sister wants to come over and help for the day, asking what she can do for you, give her a larger job. Ask her to handle the vacuuming or even changing the sheets on the bed. The small tasks around the home are all things you likely can do yourself, in between feedings and sleeping.
Being a new mother is hard, but it will get easier. Over time, you may find that by reaching out to others, you can improve the quality of your own time with your child.
Your Baby’s First Moments of Life
During pregnancy you sit for hours and imagine how your baby is going to look like and how will he or she feel the first time you are going to hold him. You wonder how birth for him is. 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. Now imagine that you are going 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 the harsh reality before he is returned to his mother’s arms.
2. Who is the baby going to look like?
His head might seem a little too big. He might have a pink or a darkened color on his hands and feet and they 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 life of your baby is critical. The transaction to the real life 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 your baby?
The baby can make contact with the mother just after the few moments in which he is going to cry. If the room is not too bright, he 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.
