Holding your newborn in your arms for the first time is a surreal feeling. There is nothing like it and there will never be. There is excitement, nervousness, fear, and happiness all amalgamated together.
However, more than anything, the fear of mishandling, hurting or discomfiting the baby troubles the parents. The first time parents suffer from this feeling a lot more than the ones having their second or third child.
The confusion and uncertainty regarding the child’s care and comfort are absolutely normal. After all, you are dealing with a life that cannot do anything but sleep, eat, and poop on his or her own. Understanding his or her needs and fulfilling them in a proper way is a big responsibility.
However, if you know a few basic things and are constantly in touch with your pediatrician, it becomes somewhat easier for you to take care of your baby. The pediatrician will inform you regarding the things to do and the things to avoid during the pre-delivery phase. It also helps to have someone to guide you in the immediate post-delivery, especially if it’s the first child. Having a pediatrician sorts this problem out.
Nonetheless, there are few things that a new or a to-be parent should know about a child and child care. The article lists the most common and basic queries and issues that a new parent deals with.
Wait for 6 weeks
The baby had been living in a sack of water for nine months. The baby is accustomed to doing nothing. In eating, sleeping, and excreting the baby is already doing more work than he or she has ever done. It would take him or her at least 6 weeks to adjust to this new world that they have come into. Therefore, if your baby doesn’t smile at you or respond to your calling, there is nothing to worry about. all you have to do is wait for your younger one to be able to comprehend you and himself or herself. And till then you have to take very good care of him or her without any reward.
Umbilical cord
The umbilical cord of a newborn baby is one of the most fascinating things about him or her. It is a pipe-like thing that connects a baby to the mother. It is through this umbilical cord that the mother provides nutrition to the unborn baby.
After the delivery of the baby, the umbilical cord is cut and it takes a little time to heal. However, for the first few days, it needs to be handled very carefully. During bathing or wiping the baby with a cotton cloth, you should be careful to keep the area dry. If there is any kind of injury or there is blood in the area, it’s normal. But if the blood flow continuously you should immediately seek medical help.
Soft spot on the head
The soft spot on the baby’s head is a concern for many new parents. However, it’s not something to be concerned much about. It is just a gap in the skull bone that gets filled by the age of 9 to 18 months. There is a problem only if there is some kind of injury otherwise it is perfectly fine to touch it.
Nutrition
A newborn baby has a tiny stomach. It cannot hold a large amount of food at once. This is the reason why an infant needs to be fed frequently. Generally, a newborn baby should be fed every 2 to 3 hours.
One way to ensure that the baby is getting enough nutrition is to check whether the baby has gained the weight that he or she lost in the first week.
Crying
The crying of a newborn baby can unsettle the parents at first. But you should be prepared because there is going to be a lot of it. Crying is the only way that a baby has for communicating with you. Whether they need something, something is bothering them, they are hungry, they are wet or they simply want to be held, they will convey their message through crying. Therefore, the crying should not be ignored and you have to learn to understand what the baby is trying to convey.
Sleeping
A newborn baby has simply four jobs- eating, crying, pooping, and sleeping. It is obvious that he or she is going to spend a lot of time sleeping. However, his or her sleeping time should not be prolonged. If the baby doesn’t wake up by himself or herself, you should wake the baby up after 3 hours to feed him or her.
Bathing
Unlike adults, a newborn baby should not be bathed daily. In fact, bathing should be avoided completely in the first week in order to allow the umbilical cord to healing. Also, the baby doesn’t get very dirty so a wipe with a cotton cloth and warm water should suffice. The baby also has a protective layer of white color to fight against bacterial infection when he or she is born. This layer is shed by the baby by the end of the first week. Therefore, bathing after that would be more appropriate.
Hormones
Sometimes, few unusual or unexpected things can be observed about your baby such as- the appearance of a breast for a pinkish discharge in your baby girl’s diaper. This can be the result of the hormonal imbalance that the mother has been suffering from throughout the pregnancy. Similar symptoms are generally not a danger sign.
Spoiling the baby
Attending to your baby’s every cry for holding them will not spoil your baby. Babies at this stage, need and deserve all the affection in the world that you can gather. This acts as the foundation of your bond with the baby in the coming times.
Handling
Even if it’s your baby, you need to keep a few things in mind while handling a newborn. You should wash or sanitize your hands before touching the hands of the face of the baby. While holding a baby, you should give support to the baby’s head and neck.
The most important thing to realize, however, is that this is a very special phase of the baby as well as the parent’s life and it will not last forever. Whether you hate it when you love it, it will be over before you know. Hence, you should fully enjoy the first moments and experiences of your baby in the world no matter what.
Blog Reference: https://pediatriciangaurcity.drnaveenpandey.com/10-things-care-infant/
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