A Primer In Newborn Baby Care
A new baby can be cute, cuddly – and downright scary! If you are a new parent, the responsibility for that little one is a heavy weight to shoulder indeed. The first piece of advice for a new parent is usually to relax, and try to enjoy those first few days and weeks with your new bundle. This will be much easier if you are well-armed with a few basics in newborn baby care. Consider this; your precious little one will do little else than sleep, eat, and dirty diapers in the first few weeks of life. These three processes are the first parenting basics that you need to know for your newborn’s baby care.
Sleeping
The first thing you need to know about newborn baby care is that your infant will sleep about sixteen hours every day at first. This sleep is generally done in increments of three to four hours, since that is as long as a baby’s digestive system can go without nourishment. Because your newborn will spend so much time in sleep mode, it is important that you provide the proper setting for him to catch his Z’s. A bassinette or crib that has been cleared of all excess bedding and pillows will provide the safest environment. It is also important to place your baby on his back for sleeping, since this reduces the risk of SIDS.
Eating
Babies need to be fed every two to four hours in the early days and weeks of life. This is true for babies that are nursed as well as those that are fed from a bottle. While demand feeding (offering food when the baby seems hungry) is a good approach, it can be used in tandem with a loosely monitored feeding schedule that will allow an infant’s digestive system to be regulated. This approach to newborn baby care tends to be easier with bottle-fed infants, since it is easier to keep track of how much the baby is eating. Burping is an important part of the feeding process, since it allows air taken in during sucking to escape before getting into the tummy.
Diapers
Once you have made your decision on whether to use cloth or disposable diapers, you might think that you have done your job in this area of newborn baby care. Not so! Besides diapers, you will also need to stock up on diaper wipes, diaper ointment, cotton balls and a clean washcloth. Newborns have very sensitive skin, so you must use care when cleaning your baby’s bottom.
Some parents prefer to use a washcloth and warm water instead of baby wipes, although there are many wipes available that do not contain any harsh chemicals that can damage your infant’s skin. It is very important as a part of newborn baby care to change your child frequently, since wetness on the bottom can contribute to diaper rash.
New babies are a wonderful addition to the family, especially when you are armed with the most up-to-date information on newborn baby care to prepare you for tending to your new little bundle.
Watch the video related to newborn baby
Here’s Liliana on her first days getting ready to eat… she is so small here!
Help answer the question about newborn baby
How often do you feed your newborn baby? And at what age does the feeding change?I have a 13 day old newborn baby, and I've heard SO MANY different feeding tips from each doctor that I go to. I was told to feed my baby every 2-3 hours, but not to go over 4 hours. I feed her anywhere from 2oz-4oz at each feeding. She is ~8lbs. She is fed formula, not breast milk. (Have had too many problems). Anyway, do you have any suggestions for me about feeding my newborn?
And at what age does it change?
About Author
Ann Marier has written many articles on health problems and useful house and garden Topics. More articles on NewBorn Baby Care offering valuable advice and tips
Your baby is ugly..
That’s not how you wrap up a baby!
First you get a hammer, and smash it in the fucking face.
Secondly, you wrap it in poison ivy, why?, because you can…dude it’s a fucking baby.
And finally, what good is a baby, unless you can **** it.
Yes my son thats exactly what i did to you
good but you seem tough … go easy on the baby
I’m never gonna figure out how to do that!!!!
If I can’t I know my fiance won’t lol
I think you ’swaddling’ not ’swattling’ swattling sounds like something you do to house flies!!!!
Runny or mustardy, probably yellow in colour if you are breast feeding. The first poo he had would have been nearly black in colour, but you shouldn't see that again.
I highly recommend breast feeding the baby to help prevent the baby from getting sick. As far as keeping sick-os away from baby, I say 48-72 hrs is good. Make sure everyone is washing their hands before holding your lil one. Congrats!
shove your pointer and middle finger in its nostrils… and lift.
the baby loved it- he stopped moaning after he was wrapped.aww
@jbean0: Not at all. Newborns have an immature brain and don’t have the ability to thermoregulate like children or adults do, so they are at risk for hypothermia. Also, swattling the baby like that gives them comfort and emulates the womb so the baby feels more comfortable. Leaving an arm out? Why? They don’t hold anything and it leaves a spot that heat can radiate off the baby. (mind you don’t do it when it is 105 outside) Also you don’t cover the face because breathing is good.
lol yes breathing is alright actually!!!
no, u dont even need a visa to go to the phi
Congratulations! I had just about given up on finding somebody who knew that handling is not good for turtles, especially small ones. I'm sorry that you had to learn the hard way, though.
While basking is a good way to pick up vitamin D, it is not the only way. The easiest thing for you to do is to feed your turtles strips of liver. If you dust them in bonemeal, you will provide calcium for the vitamin D to work on too. Other good sources of vitamin D are Linatone (expensive) and cod-liver oil. If you feed whole fishes, the turtlets will get vitamin D and calcium, although in smaller quantities.
Be sure that the ramp is easy for the baby to climb up. If it still doesn't want to bask, don't worry. There is a lot of individual variation and species variation. Snapping turtles, for example, rarely bask out of the water and I have yet to see one with either fungus or soft-shell.
Also have a part of the tank where Cookie can stand on the bottom and still reach the surface to breathe. Cookie should be fine. Or as fine as any newborn turtle can be.
My LO is 7 weeks, 14 lbs and formula fed. He eats anywhere from 2-3 hours and usually 2-4 oz. Sometimes he wants more, and usually 1 oz does the trick. Its hard to know when they are that small what is right and I know the first 2 weeks, I OBSESSED about when, and how much I was feeding him. Now I just pay attention to his cues and I know how to distinguish his "hungry" cry. If she is hungry feed her and don't worry about the clock. Oh and my baby sleeps 6+ hours some nights so I wouldn't worry about going over 4 hours with a feed. Sometimes formula keeps them full longer so go with your gut. She will let you know if she is hungry!! Good luck:)
cold sores and genital herpes are two different things
If you've ever had cold sores, don't kiss your baby on the mouth. And be careful of others, if you've ever seen them with cold sores, don't let them kiss your baby on the mouth. Easier just to make a rule about nobody kissing your baby on the mouth period (or any other mucous membrane for that matter: nose, eyes, ears, etc.). Cold sores IS herpes and for an infant, herpes is deadly. It breaks down their immune system entirely. Soon new moms will be educated about this before they leave the hospital, since it's so easily prevented with just a little bit of knowledge. I just read a couple days ago about a new mom who lost her little baby girl at 11 days old for this exact same reason, and all she could say was, "If I only would have known". Just imagine. This is not a joke. Spread the word.
You are talking about buying this stuff using my tax dollars? I work for a living and ended up with a $3000 hospital bill (insurance only paid a portion) and what did my state buy me? NOTHING.
Why is tax money being wasted on presents? We just gave her the "present" of a baby & pregnancy that she didn't have to pay for.
Why is it that I get to work harder, take more jobs, can't afford to have another baby, yet if I would only stop working and leave my husband, I could get a day at the spa. I sure as heck can't afford it now.
If it is my tax money, then I say buy her birth control and parenting classes so I don't end up paying for her kid to have kids they can't afford either.
What crap. When are we going to stop REWARDING people who make bad choices? WHEN?
I have twins as well. They are 5 years old now! They usually woke up every 2-3 hours at first. If one woke up i fed and changed him/her and then I would wake the other change and feed that way they are on the same schedule. Yes you should feed and change them each time they wake up. Good luck!