Essential Newborn Care: Are You Following?

A parent’s thoughts are always on the unborn child from the first day of pregnancy. On the other hand, if this is your first child, you probably have no experience with the essential newborn care. We’ve been there, and we’re here to help you with everything you need to know about looking after your new baby during those exciting but also challenging first few weeks.

Keep in mind that having a newborn is a major shift for everyone as you navigate these early months. It’s conceivable you’re still recovering following the birth of your child. You could experience a range of emotions when the kid is still in the womb. For the first two months of his or her existence, your baby is in the newborn stage. The infant should be as fully integrated into your family and home as you can. It’s better to go with the flow during the initial months than to make an effort to adhere to a rigid schedule.

Also Read: Why do Infant Safety/Security Gates have such Importance?

Essential Newborn Care: What are the necessities?

Friends and family are typically eager to help. Just because you disagree with them on some aspects doesn’t mean you should disregard their experience. However, don’t feel awful about placing restrictions on them if you don’t feel up to hosting guests or if you have other concerns.

Taking care of an Infant:

If you haven’t spent much time around infants, you can be intimidated by their fragility. Here are some guidelines for essential newborn care to remember:

• Support your baby’s neck and head at all times.
• Wash your hands before interacting with your child (use hand sanitizer). Ensure that everyone your child interacts with has clean hands.
• Make sure your child is securely fastened while seated or leaning. Avoid engaging in rough or bouncy activities.
• Don’t shake the baby, please. It could cause a brain bleed and perhaps death.
• Avoid engaging in any hard play.

The Connection:

One of the unique facets of essential newborn care is bonding. It happens in the early hours and days after delivery. when a parent and child have a tight relationship.

Children benefit from the connection in both their emotional and other key developmental areas, including their physical growth. Falling in love with the baby is another way to express bonding.

Parents must physically contact their infant by cuddling or lovingly holding him or her up to their skin.

Babies respond favourably to infant massage. Certain massage techniques aid in the bonding process and the growth and development of the newborn. Massage your baby gently, though, as their muscles aren’t as strong as adults’. Babies frequently love making vocal noises like talking, chattering, singing, and cooing. Most likely, your baby will also prefer to listen to music. Baby rattles and musical mobiles are additional strategies for improving your baby’s hearing.

If your baby is in this situation, keep the light and noise down low.

Swathing:

Swathing is a different calming method that first-time parents should learn because it helps certain newborns during their first few weeks of life. A baby’s arms remain close to the body when properly swaddled, although considerable leg movement is permitted. In addition to keeping the infant warm, it also makes them feel safe and cosy. Additionally, bathing might help to lessen the startle reaction that can awaken a baby.

Here’s how you wrap a baby in a blanket:

Spread out one corner of the receiving blanket after folding it slightly over.

The infant should be laid face-up on the blanket with the top of his or her head over the folded corner.

Draw the bottom corner toward the head while raising it over the infant’s feet. Don’t wrap too tightly around the hips. The knees and hips should be slightly pulled out and bent. Your baby’s hip dysplasia may become worse if you wrap him/her too tightly.

The blanket’s left corner should be cinched around the infant’s torso and tucked under his or her right arm. Leaving only the neck and head exposed, wrap the right corner of the blanket over the baby and tuck it under the left side of the baby’s back. To make sure your child is not too tightly wrapped, make sure there is space for your hand to pass between the blanket and his or her chest. This makes breathing simple.

Make sure the blanket isn’t too loose, though, as it might come undone. Babies shouldn’t be swaddled after two months old. Some newborns can roll over while being swaddled, which increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome or commonly known as SIDS.

Also Read: Essential Things You Should Buy for Your Baby

Diapers:

Before bringing your child home, you’ll probably decide whether to use cloth or disposable diapers. Regardless of the technique you use, your child will require about 10 diaper changes per day.

Before beginning to diaper your infant, be careful to:

• Tidy diaper
• Fasteners (for pre-fold diapers)
• Diaper cream
• Wipes for diapers (or warm water and a tidy towel or cotton balls)
• After each bowel movement or if the diaper is moist, lay your baby on his or her back and take off the soiled diaper. With water, cotton balls, or wipes, clean the newborn’s genital regions.
• The infant may urinate as a result of the abrupt exposure to air, thus the diaper must be removed cautiously. When cleaning a girl’s bottom, make sure to go from the front to the rear to prevent a urinary tract infection (UTI). To prevent or treat a rash, apply cream to the area. Make careful to thoroughly wash your hands after performing a diaper change.

Diaper Rash:

Diaper rash is a very common issue. Try these tips to prevent or heal diaper rash:

• As soon as your infant has a bowel movement, change their diaper.
• Use detergents without dyes or fragrances to wash your items.
• Apply a thick coating of diaper rash or “barrier” cream after gently cleaning the region with mild soap and water (wiping can irritates skin).
• Permit the infant to spend some of the day in COMMANDO MODE. The skin can now have a chance to breathe thanks to this.
• If the diaper rash persists for more than three days or seems to be getting worse, call your doctor right away because it might be a fungal infection that needs to be treated with a prescription

Also Read: A doctor’s checklist for baby proof product recommendations

Essential Newborn Care:Bathing

You should give your baby a sponge bath once the umbilical cord has been cut and the navel has healed completely (1-4 weeks). The circumcision takes 1-2 weeks to recover.

A bath two or three times a week is adequate during the first year. Taking baths more frequently could dry out your skin.

Make sure you have the following materials available before giving your infant a bath:

• A gentle, spotless washcloth
• A gentle brush to massage the infant’s scalp
• Mild, unscented infant soap
• A tidy diaper
• Pristine linens and towels

Sponge baths: 

For a sponge wash, pick a secure, flat surface in a warm environment. If available, fill a sink or a dish with warm (lukewarm) water. Take off your child’s clothes, then wrap them in a towel. Starting with one eye, begin cleaning your baby’s eyes with a moist washcloth (clean cotton ball) and wipe from the inner to the outer corner. With a fresh washcloth corner or cotton ball, clean the opposite eye. Clean your infant’s nose and ears with the wet washcloth. Re-wet the cloth, gently wash the person’s face with some soap, and then pat it dry.

Before rinsing, gently lather up some baby shampoo and wash your child’s head. Gently wash the infant’s remaining skin with a wet cloth and soap, paying special attention to the creases in the genital region, behind the ears, under the arms, and around the neck. Before changing your baby’s diaper and dressing him or her, make sure those areas are completely dry after cleaning.

Tub baths:

Start with gentle, brief baths when your baby is ready for tub baths. If he or she becomes irritated, switch back to sponge baths for a week or two before trying the bath once more.

Along with the aforementioned items, an infant tub with 2 to 3 inches of Luke warm water is also recommended (feel the water with the inside of your elbow or wrist for testing the temperature). Babies can bathe more easily in an infant tub, a little plastic tub that fits in the bathtub.

Undress your baby and place him or her in the water as soon as possible in a warm area to prevent chills. Make sure the tub’s water is no deeper than 2 to 3 inches, and check the faucet. While the other hand helps the baby enter feet-first, the other hand should support the baby’s head. Speak quietly as you slowly lower your newborn into the tub, bringing him or her up to the chest level.

With a washcloth, clean his or her face and hair. Use your fingers or a soft baby hairbrush to gently massage your baby’s scalp, paying specific attention to the region above the fontanelles (soft spots) on top of the head.

To direct the suds to the sides and keep soap out of your baby’s eyes while washing his or her head with soap or shampoo, cup your palm across the forehead. Wash your baby’s body gently with water and a small amount of soap. To prevent your infant from getting cold during the bath, softly pour water over his or her body. As soon as your baby gets out of the water, carefully cover his or her head with a towel. Baby towels with hoods are perfect for keeping a newly showered baby warm.

When bathing your child, never leave them unsupervised. If you need to leave the bathroom, wrap the baby in a towel and take him or her with you.

Also Read: 5 Best Baby Bathing Products for a Happy Bathing Time

Essential Newborn Care: Feeding

Whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle-feeding your baby, you may be unsure how often to feed them. In general, newborns should be fed on demand — anytime they appear hungry.

Every 2 to 3 hours, a newborn baby should be fed. Allow your infant to nurse for 10–15 minutes at each breast if you’re breastfeeding. If you’re using the formula, your baby will probably drink about 2–3 ounces (60–90 milliliters) per feeding.

To ensure that they get enough to feed, some infants may need to be awakened every several hours.

If you’re formula-feeding, it’s simple to see if your kid is receiving enough to eat; but, if you’re nursing, it’s a little more difficult. Your kid is probably eating enough if he or she appears satisfied, has around six wet diapers and many stools each day, sleeps well, and gains weight regularly.

Another way to know if your baby is getting milk is to note if your breasts feel full before feeding and then empty afterward. If you’re worried about your child’s growth or eating schedule, talk to your doctor.

During feedings, babies frequently swallow air, which can make them irritable. Burp your baby frequently to help prevent this. If you’re bottle-feeding, burp your infant every 2–3 ounces (60–90 milliliters) and every time you switch breasts if you’re breastfeeding.

If your baby is gassy, has gastroesophageal reflux, or appears irritable while eating, burp him or her after every ounce of bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes of nursing.

The Burping Tricks:

Hold your infant upright with his or her head on your shoulder while burping. Support your baby’s head and back with one hand while rubbing his back softly with the other.

Place your infant on your lap, face down. Support your baby’s head by gently patting or rubbing his or her back, making sure it’s higher than his or her chest.

Place your child on your lap. With one hand, support your baby’s chest and head by cradling his chin in the palm of your hand and resting the heel of your hand on his chest (be cautious, hold the chin not throat). Gently pat your baby’s back with the other hand.

If your infant doesn’t burp after a few minutes, alter the baby’s position and try burping again before feeding. When feeding time is finished, burp your baby and keep him or her upright for at least 10–15 minutes to avoid spitting up.

Also Read: Hygienic Containers for a Healthy Baby

Essential Newborn Care: Sleeping

As a new parent, you may be astonished to hear that your newborn, who appears to require your attention at all times of the day, sleep for 16 or more hours.

Newborns usually sleep for 2–4 hours at a time. Expect your baby to wake up every few hours if he or she hasn’t been fed for four hours. Babies’ digestive systems are so little that they require nourishment every few hours (depends on the problem related to weight gain).

When will your infant be able to sleep through the night? At 3 months of age, most babies sleep through the night (6–8 hours), but if yours doesn’t, don’t worry.

Babies, like adults, must develop their sleep patterns and cycles, so don’t be discouraged if your newborn is gaining weight and appears healthy but hasn’t slept through the night at three months.

Always place babies on their backs while sleeping. Other safe sleeping practices include not putting blankets, quilts or pillows and sharing a bedroom (not bed) with the parents for the first 6 months to a year. To avoid the formation of a flat spot on one side of the head, alternate the position of your baby’s head from night to night.

The days and nights of many babies are “mixed up.” At night, they are more awake and aware, and during the day, they are more tired. Keeping stimuli to a bare minimum at night is one method to assist them. Reduce the amount of light in the room, for example, by using a nightlight. Talking and playing with your infant should be done during the day. When your baby wakes up during the day, talk and play with him or her to keep him or her awake a little longer.

Even if you’re nervous about handling a newborn, you’ll create a routine and parenting like an expert in a matter of weeks.

Also Read: Safety Blanket For Concerned Parents!

How Safe-O-Kid provides a range of baby safety products that Ensure Essential Newborn Care and Safety?

Babies need extra care and if you are worried about the health of your babies, Safe-o-Kid is there to take your burden out. Baby Safety Inc., a research-based company dedicated to making the world a better environment for children, owns the Safe-O-Kid brand.

Baby Safety Inc. has committed itself to researching the shifting range of risks that encircle our children and testing innovative protective measures in response. Our professionals have dedicated years of their life to child safety research and this is the result of their hard work that Baby Safety Inc has been able to regularly launch and update a comprehensive array of baby-proofing products under its brand Safe-o-Kid covering all possible aspects of a kid’s life and associated dangers.

These baby safety products could ease some of your responsibilities as parents who struggle to balance caring for their children with their regular chores. Safe-o-Kid (www.safeokid.com) is one such company that are dedicated to ensure safety for babies.

Baby Safety Inc., a research-based company dedicated to making the world a better environment for children, owns the Safe-O-Kid brand. Baby Safety Inc. has committed itself to researching the shifting range of risks that encircle our children and testing innovative protective measures in response.