Bringing home your newborn will probably bring up a host of questions and fears, particularly if this is your first child. While your role as a parent will change over time, brand new infants are relatively straightforward: they need to eat, they need to poop, and they need to be clean. Here are some tips for taking care of new babies.
Feeding Time: Baby Formula or Breast Milk?
Deciding between baby formula or breast milk is a big decisions in itself. Your pediatrician knows best and can help you with this decision. Whichever you choose, remember to burp her when she finishes eating. Not every breastfed baby needs to burp, but bottles allow more air to get into Baby’s tiny tummy. Without a little burp, you’ll wind up with a lot of spit up. Wipe her mouth and gums with a damp, soft cloth after feedings to remove residue that can cause infant acne and damage teeth before they’ve appeared.
Also important to remember is to give baby only breast milk or formula. No juice, water, or other fluids for at least the first six months (around the time you start solids and baby food). Also important: remember to get plenty to eat yourself. You can’t take care of someone else if you aren’t taking care of yourself.
Communication 101: Why is Baby Crying?
One of the most draining aspects of caring for a newborn is trying to figure out why he is crying. Tears are pretty much the only way babies have to communicate. The standard go-tos when you’re trying to solve the mystery are a bottle or a clean diaper. Crying after a meal could also indicate a need to burp, a sore tummy, or just plain exhaustion. Other things your little one may be trying to convey include:
- Wanting to be swaddled or cuddled
- Wanting to wiggle around
- Being too hot or too cold
- Wanting something to suck on, or
- Overstimulation (too much noise or visual stimulation)
Persistent and incurable crying may be the result of colic or something more serious. Talk to your pediatrician if your baby cries constantly, no matter what you do.
Keeping Clean: Diaper Changes and Bathtime
Regular diaper changes are the best way to keep Baby comfortable and prevent diaper rash. If you have a hard time being able to tell when he has a wet diaper, some disposable diapers come with a moisture-sensing line on the outside that changes colors when it gets wet.
Diaper rash can be treated with diaper rash ointment, a cream containing zinc oxide. If diaper rash lasts more than three days, it can turn into a yeast infection. Remember to wipe baby girls front to back only, and clean out all the creases on baby boys.
Babies do not have to be bathed in a tub, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump falls off. If you don’t know how to give Baby a bath, ask to watch when they bathe him at the hospital the day after his birth. Newborns only need a bath once or twice a week. Baby skin is very sensitive, and too much washing can dry out sensitive skin.
Sleeping Basics: How to Get a Full Night
Since newborns generally need to eat every three to four hours, the first few months are going to be around the clock. As Baby gets older, she should also start sleeping for longer periods. In the beginning, you’re probably going to be frazzled and exhausted about 90% of the time -- most moms are! Take naps with your baby whenever you can. Minimizing naps later in the day will also help Baby sleep longer at night. Although some experts recommend avoiding pacifiers or bottles for breastfed babies until at least 6 weeks, a pacifier can help significantly.
Skin and Health: What’s Normal and What’s Not?
Cradle cap and infant acne are common concerns in newborns, and they’re perfectly natural. Cradle cap is the light shedding of the scalp that happens to new babies. Special scrub brushes can help mitigate shedding. There isn’t much you can do for infant acne, although coconut oil is a great moisturizer and anti-microbial that’s gentle enough for brand new skin.
If Baby tends to cough or sneeze on and off in the first few weeks or months, don’t be too alarmed -- she is just trying to get the remnants of amniotic fluid out of her respiratory system. If you live in a dry area, a humidifier can help moderate sneezing (not to mention dry skin!).
Many pediatric offices have an after hours number in case of emergencies. You are the best expert on your baby. If you don’t think something is normal, trust your gut. Keep in mind when you get frazzled or frustrated that every new mom feels the same way.
