Caring for Your Newborn
Your initiation into the prestigious parenthood club comes with a pricely cost -the cost of giving yourself, your time, your very own body, to the nurturing and growth of your baby.
So how does this little newborn baby function? Well, to begin with, your newborn has been growing inside you for the past nine months, making miraculous strides and progress every day and will continue to amaze you with their growth processes over the next year.
Every month will bring new developments, new skills, and new abilities. So let’s begin with the number one topic that comes to mind when mentioning babies, crying! Yes, your newborn baby will cry. From the moment they enter the world, it is what they do best. There are specific reasons why your baby cries, and no, it is not because they are spoiled, don’t like you, or trying to upset you.
Your newborn baby cries as a reflex to the surrounding environment. Your baby’s only form of communication with you is through crying. Your baby’s cry can mean, “Mommy I am hungry.” “Mommy my diaper is wet, please change me.” “Mommy, my tummy is hurting.” “Mommy, I have to burp and it doesn’t feel good.” and “Mommy, I am so tired, I don’t know what else to do but cry.”
There is no way around it, your newborn baby will cry. And yes, there will be times when you have changed diapers, fed, burped, comforted, held, snuggled, and loved, and your baby is still fussy. It is crucial that you have proper coping skills to deal with your baby’s cry. Many times, your baby will want to fall asleep and just can’t. No matter what, never, and I mean never spank a baby. There is no reason to ever spank a baby.
Your baby is not trying to aggravate you, or ruin your day. Your baby loves you and needs you to remain calm and love them when they need you most. Sometimes, babies have colic, and this can be the most stressful time for new parents. If you are breastfeeding and your baby has colic, it may be a result of a food in your diet causing the colic. You may want to change your diet, start with plain foods and see if you can identify what is making your baby irritable. Make sure that you bring up the subject of colic with your baby’s pediatrician. They will help you determine what can be causing it, (although there is no known cause for colic) some think it may be related to cow’s milk, gas bubbles in the baby’s tummy, or even an underdeveloped digestive tract. Whatever the cause, the point is you must remain calm with your baby at all times. If your baby is crying for an unusually long length of time, some babies with colic will cry up to three hours, just imagine how much pain they are in.
Make sure that you have addressed all other issues, such as changing diapers, making sure they are well fed and not hungry, burping them adequately, making sure they are not over or under dressed, not too hot or too cold, and if they are very tired, you may find that a nice car ride may do the trick and put them to sleep. Remember to always strap your baby in a properly installed infant car seat, rear facing. If you do not have a car seat and can’t afford one, there are many local agencies which will offer you a class on the proper instruction of car seat use, and in turn, provide you with a free car seat. Many hospitals also offer free car seats, check with your local pediatrician or run a google search for your city and state and free car seat program.
Another issue many new parents encounter is how to properly dress your newborn. You may have seen the new mothers who have their little newborns out in summer time wearing layer upon layer then swaddled in blankets as well. A good rule of thumb is this,” if you are hot, your baby will be hot too.” You can safely dress your baby by using yourself as a standard. Dress your baby as you would feel comfortable, then if you must, place a nice blanket over them and chances are they will be just fine.
If your newborn has diaper rash, you may feel that you have done something terribly wrong. You may accuse yourself of not having changed the baby’s diapers enough. Try to change your baby’s diaper as soon as they are wet. A healthy baby who is getting enough fluids, whether from the breast or bottle will have at least 7 or 8 wet diapers daily. Immediately notify your baby’s pediatrician if you find they are not urinating enough. It could mean they are dehydrated or have another serious problem. Your baby’s stools will look yellow if breastfed and won’t have a pungent odor. Your baby may have a bowel movement after every feeding if breastfed. If you notice any significant change in your baby’s bowel movements, if they become mucousy, or if they don’t have a bowel movement for 24 hours then notify your baby’s pediatrician and seek medical advice.
If your baby has a diaper rash try to change the diaper every hour. Newborn babies will make a lot of wet diapers. Make sure to change the diaper during the night as well. The important rule is to keep the diaper area clean and dry. Some babies will have a reaction to a certain brand of diapers or baby wipes.
You may find that changing the brand helps as well. If you choose to use baby powder you must be very careful. Never apply powder straight onto a baby’s bottom. The puff of the powder when you shake it can enter a baby’s lungs and even cause death. Always, turn your hands away from the direction of the baby and put the powder into your hands, then apply onto baby’s skin. You may want to use a diaper rash cream. Balmex is very effective in relieving a diaper rash as soon as redness appears. Also, you may find Vaseline protects
the skin and may decide to apply Vaseline at every diaper change. Some cases of diaper rash are caused by yeast. Your pediatrician can apply an antibiotic, so never neglect to inform your pediatrician if your little one is suffering from a diaper rash.
Today, many doctors do not recommend bathing a newborn baby every day. The belief is that the newborn’s skin caries many natural oils which help protect from things like cradle cap and baby acne. Check with your pediatrician and ask him how often he recommends you bathe your newborn. There are many gentle cleansers on the market today as well as cleansing cloths which you apply water too and then can bathe your baby. Remember that when you are bathing baby; never ever leave them alone in a tub, or sink, or washbasin.
If the phone rings, let it ring, they can call back. Or better yet, take the phone off the hook when you are going to give baby a bath. Your newborn baby won’t try to slip away from you, but they will still be slippery nonetheless. Support your baby firmly with one arm under their body while bathing with the other hand. And never, ever leave a baby unattended in water, and never trust a child to watch a baby for you in water. It only takes one inch of water and less than a minute for disaster to happen. Always protect your baby.
Your baby will spend much of his time sleeping so you must provide a safe sleeping environment. Preferably you will have your baby sleep in a bassinet or crib. Make sure that your house is a smoke free environment. Your baby does not need to breathe in cigarette smoke. This causes asthma as well as a host of problems for your child, including slower development.
Place your baby on their back in the crib to sleep. Never place your baby on a pillow or keep pillows or stuffed animals in the crib. They may look cute but they can be very dangerous. When it comes to crib safety, less is better. If your house is cool, place a warm blanket on the baby. Never let your baby sleep in bed with you or on the sofa, these are very dangerous situations and you want to make sure your baby is safe at all costs. Place them in their own bed, you will appreciate it when they are older and know how to sleep on their own.
Finally remember, the only dumb question is the question which is never asked. Your baby’s pediatrician has a wealth of information available for you. When the hospital gives you pamphlets and brochures, read them. Even if you have had children before, read them again. Medical science changes and advances every day so you may just learn something different than you knew previously. But never be afraid to ask your baby’s pediatrician a question, no matter how silly or naive you may think it is.
That is what they are there for, to keep you and your little one healthy, happy, and to encourage the bond between you and your new baby.
