Table of Contents
We know that your journey to becoming parents has not been easy. There have been several challenges that you might have accepted, while you have been waiting for your baby’s arrival. By the end of your pregnancy journey, when a sweet little munchkin is born to you, feel like you are blessed. Right?
Now that you are a new parent, you must be very happy with the little one in your arms. At the same time, taking care of your newborn baby is not that easy. After all, your newborn will need all-around care, whether it is feeding, soothing, or diapering. Since you are new to this journey, we know that you might need a little help. So, here are a few parenting tips for your newborn baby care.
Newborn Care After Delivery
We know that the birth of your baby is one of the most magical and beautiful moments of your life. This is the time when the newborn takes its first breath, and the healthcare providers are there to take care of your newly born little one after the delivery in this way:
- The healthcare expert will clamp and cut the umbilical cord to separate you from your newborn. The specialists will take measures to keep the cord stump clean and dry. They will also tell you how to take care of the cord stump at home.
- The healthcare providers will massage your baby or stroke your baby on the skin to stimulate the baby to cry.
- During your pregnancy, your baby swims in the amniotic fluid. Even after your baby’s birth he or she might be wet from the amniotic fluid. Due to the presence of amniotic fluid on the baby’s skin, he or she may also feel cold after delivery. So, the experts tend to cover the baby with a warm blanket to keep your baby warm as well as dry.
- Keeping your infant skin-to-skin on your chest may reduce the baby’s crying, help you breastfeed easily, and improve the bond between you and your little one.
- After your baby is born, the healthcare provider will carefully examine him or her. He or she will check the baby’s temperature, pulse rate, reflex, skin colour, respiration, and muscle tone. A score from 7 to 10 is believed to be normal.
- The healthcare provider will give your baby his or her first bath once his or her body temperature has returned to normal.
- At the time of delivery, the bacteria in the vagina may infect your little one’s eyes. Therefore, the healthcare provider may give an antibiotic eye drop to protect those cute little eyes from infection.
- The medical professionals also record the footprints of the newborn.
Newborn Care In The First Month
It has been just a month since your little one has arrived. At this time, you will notice your child is communicating by crying. We know that establishing a definite sleeping pattern will still take time. In this situation, you might not be able to figure out how to take care of your newborn. Check out how you will take care of your newborn in the first month.
- Feed your one-month-old quite often. Maybe at least 6 to 12 times a day. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends you must breastfeed your baby till he or she is 6 months old.
- Since your newborn has unpredictable sleep patterns, understand your baby’s sleep cues and let your little one sleep at his or her own convenience.
- Make sure you put your baby in a crib and keep the little one safe. Ensure that you keep the crib away from the window so that rain or dust cannot harm your little one.
- Your child would also require the first vaccine in his or her first month.
- Keep checking and changing the diaper frequently.
Essential Newborn Care In The Second Month
By two months, your baby will recognise voices, respond to light and sounds, and coo or gurgle. So, while taking care of your 3 months old, all you need to do is identify the growth phases of your little one. Here’s how:
- Identify the sleep cues and take care of your baby’s sleep pattern, as your 2-month-old little one would require nine to twelve hours of sleep. To make your little one follow a proper sleep pattern:
- Establish a consistent bedtime routine.
- Offer pacifiers during sleeping hours.
- Make your baby sleep in a dark room.
- By 2 months your little one’s eye coordination is going to improve enough to follow the moving object. You can encourage your baby’s vision development with colourful objects.
- Interact with your little one by using simple words or rhyming words and see your baby respond.
- But, be careful to not leave your little one unattended.
Essential Newborn Care In the Third Month
Your baby will develop a strong bond with you by this time. Your little one will smile and talk back at you in their own way.
- Check to see if your child is cranky and irritable when he is hungry or sleepy. You can either breastfeed or bottle-feed him or her or create a comfortable environment to help your 3-months-old sleep a little longer.
- Since your 3-month-old will start grabbing objects or putting things inside his mouth, try not to keep any sharp things near your little one.
- Try to understand why he or she’s crying or wailing. He or she may not always be hungry. Who knows he or she might just need a diaper change or may just need to be cuddled?
- Playtime can also be the time to care. Establish a time to play with your little one. You can alternately sing to your baby and in this way, you can build a bond between you and your little one.
Sometimes newborn care may take a toll on your patients. But you need to keep your patients and enjoy parenthood.
Well! If you want to know something more about pregnancy, post-partum, babycare, and the benefits of cord blood banking, follow our blog page.
Image Source: www.who.int