What Should Be Considered in Newborn Baby Care?
After nine months of exciting anticipation, you've stepped into a new life now that you're holding your baby in your arms. Alongside the sweet excitement of getting to know your baby, you may also be feeling a mix of nervous flurry and fear about challenges you haven't yet experienced. In this article, we'll go through some baby care tips, briefly, to help put your mind a little more at ease.
First of all, while care tips tend to be similar across the board, we'd like to point out that every baby has their own individual personality and their own normal. We recommend assessing your baby's sleep, care and development on their own terms, taking your doctor's developmental assessments into account, and not comparing your baby's development to other babies.
Over time, you too will become experts in baby care, just as your own parents did. To enjoy a newborn period free of worry, you need to give yourself time during this period. The first thing to remember in baby care is not to panic.
How Should Newborn Feeding, Sleep and Hygiene Be Approached?
For new mothers and fathers, having supportive people to share the responsibilities of baby care with is extremely valuable. This might be the father, the mother, or sometimes a neighbour or friend, don't hesitate to ask for help. Sharing tasks helps ease things for the mother during this period. Giving the mother the time to spend peacefully with her baby matters enormously for mother-baby communication and secure attachment.
Feeding: It's very valuable for the baby to be fed breast milk for the first 6 months. For parents unable to breastfeed, formula suited to the baby's age and weight should be determined by your doctor. Especially during the newborn period, babies should be fed every 2-3 hours, including at night.
Sleep: From the day they're born, babies should always sleep in a separate bed, in the same room as the mother. Don't keep anything unnecessary in your baby's cot. Using a sleeping bag is safer than using a blanket.
It can take around 3-6 months for a newborn baby's body clock to form. During this time, you may notice they sleep more often during the day. After month 3, you may start to notice them sleeping better and for longer stretches at night. After month 6, the baby can sleep alone in their own room, if they have one.
Cleanliness and hygiene: Nappy cleaning should be done using cotton wool and water where possible up until the first month. This is because wet wipes can be irritating during this early period. After the first month, fragrance-free, additive-free wet wipes can be used for nappy cleaning.
It's recommended to change your baby's nappy before or after every feed.
The baby shouldn't be bathed until the umbilical cord has fallen off. After that, you can bathe your baby whenever you like, using clean water at the right temperature, a suitable baby shampoo, and the necessary equipment.
Bathtime can preferably be done before bedtime. A baby whose body is relaxed can sleep more peacefully. The room where the bath takes place should be at 25 degrees, and the water temperature should be tested by dipping the parent's elbow into the water.
After the bath, you can comb your baby's hair using suitable combs to help prevent cradle cap.
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You can trim your baby's nails whenever you like after the birth. If you prefer, you can also shorten their nails using suitable baby nail files.
Supporting your baby: Because babies can't control their head and neck, it's necessary to lift them while supporting the head and neck.
Communication and bonding: Mother and baby are bonded to one another from the very first moment of birth. The baby begins recognising and listening to their parents even while still in the womb. Don't neglect talking to your baby, singing to them, and making eye contact. This communication matters greatly for your baby's language development and sense of attachment.
Safety: Don't leave your baby alone from birth without ensuring their safety. Avoid keeping anything in their cot or play area that could threaten their safety. Using safety equipment such as socket covers, baby gates and corner protectors matters for babies' safety and health. Keep items such as detergent and medication out of your baby's reach.
Set aside time for yourself: Baby care is an intense process. Get enough sleep, eat in a balanced way, and don't hesitate to ask for help whenever support is available. Because the healthier you are, the healthier your baby will be too.
We wish you a healthy journey raising your baby.
The Little Gusto Team