How to Take Care of Your New Bundle
of Joy – Your Baby?
So you’ve finally delivered a healthy
baby. Well, the nine months of pregnancy has ended and now is the
time to bring your newborn baby home. Though expected, the time
you bring your baby home is also the start of your life in
purgatory. I say “life in purgatory” as this is the time that you
start to deal with the most important task you could ever do in your
whole life – to take the best care for your baby.
Caring for a newborn is not an easy
task as everything you do can greatly affect the child physically,
emotionally or socially. This is indeed one of the greatest
challenges that every woman could face, and the way they take care
of their baby may determine the degree of their responsibility. As
often said, a responsible woman is the one who knows exactly how to
give the best care to her baby.
Now, how could you take care of your
new baby and make yourself a responsible mother?
There are a lot of ways or options
for a mother to consider as she prepares herself to handle every
activity and responsibility that she is tasked to do for her baby.
These options may start from feeding your newborn to grooming,
bathing, swaddling, diapering and to taking care of him or her when
he or she is sick. Let’s start with the feeding tips and move on to
the other baby care tips.
Feeding Your Baby the Right Way
Feeding the baby is no doubt one of
the most important responsibilities that every mother should perform
for the sake of their newborn. Note that just like every adult,
babies need to eat for them to survive. If a baby could only talk,
perhaps he/she will tell you when he or she is hungry or when he or
she is full that there’s no need for you to insist on letting him or
her eat. Unluckily, that is not the case as babies on their early
age can’t talk. Perhaps they will only start to babble words and
make their wishes known verbally longer than their first year. So
in this stage, you really need to figure out on your own what your
child is trying to ask you to do. I am sure that every mother can
easily sense when or how her child cries for food.
Speaking of food, a baby will only
need milk during the first few months of their first year. Yes,
milk serves as the babies’ primary food. So as breast milk is
highly recommended for every newborn, try to breastfeed your baby
then, and alternate with a special milk formula to satisfy his or
her hunger. Note that most breastfed babies may want to be fed
frequently, sometime every hour, so make yourself available in the
early week of the baby’s life.
Prepare nutritious foods for your
child as early in his/ her life as possible. You can buy or make
baby food, but be careful on what you prepare. Most mothers use
tree-ripened peaches, while others use wild blueberries for their
natural sweetness. No matter what the available food choices are
there, make sure that you prepare a baby food that is not only
delicious but also nutritious.
In addition, as you introduce new
foods to your baby in the coming months, watch out particularly with
the reaction of your baby to the newly introduced food. Note that
there are some instances when babies react negatively to new foods,
but end up accepting the food with enough time and experience.
Given this fact, try then to introduce new food to the baby’s diet,
but be patient enough. According to some experienced mothers, it
can take up 10 to 20 introductions of a new food before the baby
will totally eat and accept it. So, this being the case, don’t
think of giving up after a few try’s, and on the same token, do not
try forcing your baby to eat the food that he or she is not
accustomed to yet. Every responsible mother should have the
understanding and patience when her baby refuse to eat.
Bathing Your Baby Safe
Bath time can be an exciting, fun
experience for you and your child. It is considered probably one of
the most worthy events of the day that every mother should look
forward to as it will not only create a bond between you and your
child, but it is the right time to inspect your child without
clothes.
However, just like feeding, bathing
is not an easy task to undertake for a new mother. Here, you need
to be careful about the temperature of the water ( not too hot, not
too cold) and also make sure you have a sure grip on your baby. Pay
close attention when bathing your baby, watching out for whatever
harm or danger there might around the bathing area. This is how to
bath your baby safely.
Speaking of safe bath, every mother
should know in the first place that babies not need to be bathed
everyday. But, if it is your preference to bath your child
everyday, then it is fine, but as I’ve said, you should take some
extra bathing precautions. Perhaps the foremost thing that you can
do is to never to leave your child unsupervised, even for just a
minute. Note that babies don’t know yet how to swim and that the
possibility that they will drown even in less than inch water is
extreme. So if, for instance, the phone rings while you are on the
stage of taking your child’s bath and you feel that you must answer
it, then never leave your child in the bathtub. Instead, wrap your
child up in a towel and take the baby with you.
Make the bathtub safe for bathing.
Bathtubs can be slippery, so protect yourself and your baby with a
secure seating. Also, protect your child from painful bumps and
make sure that any of the sliding glass doors are designed and
crafted from safety glass.
It is important for every mother to
know what the right water temperature is for her baby. Well, as far
as I know, the water to be used for bathing a baby should be warm
enough, from 96 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. When bathing your baby,
use only the right supplies. According to some experts, bathing
your baby with shampoos, soaps and bubble baths can only dry the
baby’s skin, causing rashes and blemishes in the end. Other studies
have noted that using these supplies may cause the child to develop
urinary tract infection or UTI. It is recommended to use them in
moderation. The point is, be careful in how much you put of these
to your baby.
Diapering Your Baby
In caring for baby, perhaps one of
the most important decisions that every parent should consider is
the type to diaper to use. Yes, diaper varies according to types.
There are diapers that are made of cloth, while there are others
that are disposable. Well, each of these types has its own
advantages and hitches. The decision then can be based solely on
the time that the diaper will be used and the availability of
laundry facilities . Aside from this, environmental and financial
situations may also matter.
Now, to understand more on what
particular type of diaper may best suit your baby’s needs, let’s use
talk about the cloth diapers and disposable diapers and how they
differ. Consider the following:
-
Cloth Diapers
– These diapers can be washed and reused, as opposed to the
disposable ones. So when using a cloth diaper for your baby,
make sure that it is well-soaked, washed, and dried. Then,
fold the diaper according to the gender of your child.
Surprising as it may seem, there is really a big difference
between diapering a baby girl and a baby boy. As commonly
noted, there is more material in the back for girls, while there
is more in front for baby boys. Then, after folding the diaper
according to gender, you should fold the front edge of the
diaper down below the healing umbilical cord. It is also
important to protect the skin of your child when diapering. Use
pins or fasteners carefully as these materials may harm your
child’s skin. Finally, if you disregard diaper covers, simply
use pants that are plastic.
-
Disposable Diapers – In
terms of this kind of diaper, most parents prefer those with
less chemicals and elastic around the legs. They also usually
look for those with tape that can be refastened. Well, it is
necessary to note that when using a disposable diaper for your
baby, it should be disposed of properly. Most experts
recommend discarding the stool in the toilet whenever possible
to simply protect the environment. I bet no one loves to smell
foul odors from their wastebaskets. So, to maintain the
cleanliness of your environment, never throw away disposable
diapers in wastebasket. Instead, discard them in separate trash
bags and disposed them of properly. This is but a simple
request for the environment.
So, you learned more about cloth and
disposable diapers. It is necessary to remember now to change the
diaper of your baby after every bowel movement or whenever the
diaper is wet. And, when changing the diaper, simply use plain
water to clean your baby’s butt. If possible, avoid using diaper
wipes that contain chemicals like alcohol for chances are, they
could irritate the baby’s skin.
Dressing Your Baby
Appropriately
Dressing the baby appropriately for
both the time of the year and the temperature inside your home is
but another major thing to consider when caring for baby. However,
in dressing your baby, it is necessary to choose the appropriate
clothing first. Parents should make sure that the clothes they
provided for their child is large enough for easy dressing and also
to provide the child enough room for his or her movements. In this
sense, it would be best to look and purchase a baby dress that is
larger than the baby’s age in months. As what most expert mothers
often recommend, it is good to purchase baby clothes that are a
six-month size if the baby happens to be on his or her three months.
Before your baby wears new clothing,
wash the clothes first. Make sure that the clothes are washed
according to the manufacturer’s label. Well, this idea actually
stems from the fact that although wearing new clothes won’t
seriously harm the baby; certain minor irritations may arise,
causing the baby to feel uncomfortable. However, launder the
clothes with a special, safe detergent. Note that there are some
detergents out there today that are specifically designed for
babies. So instead of just using any of the available detergent you
have at home, look for those that are targeted toward baby clothes.
But, this doesn’t mean that you are required to buy only the special
detergents.
Oops! Enough of detergent-talks.
Let us now consider some of the most important things to keep in
mind when choosing the appropriate clothing for your child. Note
and understand the following:
-
The baby’s clothing generally
requires a number of washings.
-
Cloth your baby with those that
have sturdy zippers and well-constructed seams.
-
Your baby’s clothes inside seams
should be soft, not scratchy or rough.
-
Choose clothes that allow easy
dressing.
-
Choose clothes that allow easy
access to the diapers so for hassle-free diaper changing.
-
When pulling clothes over the
baby’s head, do it by bunching shirt up before putting over his
or her head, and simply purchasing baby shirts that feature side
or front openings, necklines that are stretchable, and those
with large shoulder snaps.
So the most basic dressing tips are
laid down to you. Perhaps the most important thing to note now is
to dress your child comfortably as you would dress yourself. Dress
him or her properly to protect your baby from harmful temperature.
Swaddling Your Baby
Swaddling is but a new way of caring
for baby. It is basically the art of wrapping your infant in a
blanket for security and warmth purposes. Numerous studies have
also revealed that swaddling your baby may keep him or her from
being bothered by his or her own disturbing reflex and it will
protect him or her from dangerous cold and heat. Best of all,
swaddling the baby is a great way of keeping the baby calm and
comfy.
So, how to swaddle your baby the
right way?
Well, the technique of swaddling is
pretty simple. Mothers won’t probably leave the hospital unless
they know it. So for those who wish to know the art, just follow
these simple steps:
-
Get a blanket and lay it down in
front of you in the shape of a diamond. Make sure that the
point is on top.
-
Fold the top point down.
-
Put your baby on his or her back
on the blanket. Make sure that the baby’s head is about the
edge you have just folded down.
-
Look for the side points of the
blanket and take one of them.
-
Pull the side point firmly over
the baby’s, and tuck it under his or her thighs.
-
Bring the bottom point up over
his or her feet.
-
Take the other side of the
blanket and stretch it over your baby. It should be in the
opposite direction. Again, tuck it under his thighs.
That’s simply it!
Calling for the Doctor’s Help
When everything else fails, it is
best for every mother to cry for help. So when your baby gets sick,
you should call the doctor immediately. Note that although some
symptoms of certain illnesses appear to be mild, they can be a sign
of serious disorder, thus they must be reported to an expert
immediately. Don’t wait, but don’t panic either.
Below is a short list of possible
symptoms that your child may encounter during his or her early age:
-
High fever
-
Loss of consciousness
-
Extreme chilling
-
Hysterical crying or unusual
excitement
-
Extreme sleepiness
-
Sudden weakness
-
Paralysis of any part of the body
-
Earache
-
Discharge of fluid from the ear
-
Sudden loss of hearing
-
Severe headache
-
Seizures
-
Discolored and bad-smelling nasal
fluid
-
Vomiting
-
Diarrhea
-
Poor coloring
-
Poor feeding
There are a lot of other symptoms
associated with serious disorders for infants. So if any of the
mentioned symptoms is exhibited in your baby, then call your doctor
right away.
Having said all that, it now becomes
clear that caring for a baby is not a joke. It entails a lot of
effort and time needed to successfully perform what parents should
do for their newborn. Of course, taking care of your child during
his or her early years can be disturbing and tiring, but that’s the
greatest challenge of being a parent. So if you want to be a good
parent, be ready then to take all the responsibilities that parents
are tasked to do, such as those mentioned above. Your baby will grow
up happy, healthy and safe.
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