Your child is the greatest gift you will ever receive. So precious, So rare. Even precious than a diamond. Newborn babies are a wonder. They intrigue us, make us fall in love with this life again and make us admire their innocence and delicacy!So delicate and vulnerable are they, that we can give away everything we have, just to care for the baby. Make sure that nothing in this world can hurt them!
Here are some important pointers for baby care put together by Care24 for first-time parents!
1. Soothing a Crying Baby
Babies usually cry if they are hungry or have not slept well. Other reasons for the newborns to cry can be scared by loud noises, going in a stranger’s lap or uncomfortable clothes and itching. They can also cry if they have pooped or peed and the diaper is wet. So whenever your newborn cries, make sure to identify this checklist to ensure all the above needs are met. To stop the baby crying, take him for a walk or sing a lullaby. Playing some soft music also helps.
2. Holding Your Baby
Carrying newborn baby is an art. The neck and head of the newborn is very fragile. If not given support while picking up, the baby might suffer dislocation in neck. The neck muscles are very gentle and still developing. The baby can’t hold his head up.
Using both arms: Lay your baby on his back and scoop him up with two arms, one supporting his bottom while the other resting comfortably against his head.
Using one arm: Support the neck of the baby with elbow and the bottom by the palm of your hand. The other arm is now free to pat the baby.
Holding up by the shoulder: Use one arm to hold the bottom of the baby and the other to support the neck. This is the best position to make the baby burp or sleep.
.png)
3. Breastfeeding Your Baby
The newborn needs to be fed every 2-3 hours in small quantities. The babies can be fed with motheräó»s milk or formula milk using bottles. But the mother’s milk is always the best for the baby. Breast milk is easier to digest. As the babies grows, their frequency of meals drop, but tummy time increases.
While feeding, do not force feed your baby. Understand the indications by your baby – it will turn away from the nipple if it is full. The baby will cry if it is hungry. Do not give additional fluids apart from milk, in the first six months of the baby without the consultation of the doctor.
4. Burping Your Baby
After the baby is fed, it is important to burp the baby. Babies gulp air while feeding, which causes them to eject milk if not made to burp. Common techniques are followed to help the baby burp. Lay the baby on your lap face-down – then shaking your leg gently, massage its back to make him burp. Hold the baby up against the shoulder and massage the back.
5. Putting Your Baby to Sleep
Newborns have just three tasks, drink milk, sleep and poop. The newborns require at least 10 hours of sleep. In some cases, it might increase to 19-20 hours. As the baby has just gotten out of the womb, he can not differentiate between night and day. The newborns generally do not sleep throughout the entire night for the first 3-4 months of their life. Some tips to make the babies sleep are – pat them on the chest and back continuously while humming. Turn off the lights of the room. Avoid loud noises in the surroundings. Surround him with pillows and blankets to make him feel the womb -like warmth.
Read more –Protein rich diet for pregnancy; How to avoid birth defects during pregnancy
