Motherhood and life with newborn babies can be magical and also a little overwhelming. Many questions may arise in a parent’s mind, such as when should I feed them, how can I give them the best care, when should I put them to bed, and should I practice a sleeping and feeding routine.
Here are the top tips for caring for your newborn baby during the first month: how to breastfeed, soothe, sleep, involve your partner, go outside, and stay sane. Keep in mind that both you and your baby are learning about this. You will both discover your rhythm with a little practice and time.
Many parents have found themselves in that situation, not knowing how to care for their newborn during those exciting but often difficult first weeks. Continue reading to discover the basics of caring for your newborn in the first weeks of life.
Visitors
Chances are you’ll want to host family and friends as soon as possible so you can spend time together as a new family. Look them in the eyes and talk to them; A baby is usually attentive and responsive right after birth, so this is the ideal time for bonding. They may find it comforting because they are familiar with your voice from having been with you throughout your pregnancy.
Feeding
Regardless of the method, there are a few things to remember when feeding your baby. The following advice is for the first few weeks of breastfeeding and formula feeding.
Both Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding: Although it may feel natural, breastfeeding can be difficult at first. If you decide to breastfeed, these tactics will help:
Don’t wait: If possible, try to breastfeed your baby within an hour after delivery, when he or she is most awake.
Ask for help: Hospitals often hire lactation consultants. They can help you establish a correct grip and experiment with various positions.
Breastfeeding on demand will help your body develop a healthy supply of milk for your newborn. So let your baby breastfeed whenever he wants. Newborns should breastfeed 8 to 12 times in a 24-hour period, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Find a good latch: A healthy latch ensures your baby receives adequate milk while protecting your own nipples from soreness. Ask a nurse, pediatrician, or lactation consultant if you’re not sure what this entails.
Make a breastfeeding nest: While you feed your child, a comfortable chair, pillows, a stool, and access to water and food will help keep you supported and comfortable.
Consume enough food and fluids; The CDC estimates that breastfeeding requires 300 to 400 extra calories per day. Also, drink at least eight glasses of water a day because breastfeeding causes you to lose fluids.
Express breastfeeding
You may decide to express breast milk in the early days or even for an extended period if your baby has trouble latching, is not getting enough colostrum, or if you are separated from your baby after birth due to complications.
Sometimes parents give their newborns expressed colostrum with a spoon or syringe during the first days of life. If you decide to try feeding your baby directly from the breast in the future, these techniques can help you prevent nipple confusion in those early days.
Various extraction tips are as follows:
Choose the best pump for you: Manual expression can be very efficient when removing colostrum. But over time, electric or manual breast pumps have become more popular among breastfeeding parents.
Get Help Don’t be afraid to ask the hospital’s lactation consultant for help; They could even provide you with a hospital-grade rental pump.
Relax: Your milk ejection reflex is inhibited when you are tense or anxious. To help you relax, try watching your child, watching TV, participating in a guided meditation, or even making a call to call a friend.
Store breast milk safely: The CDC recommends using food-safe containers to store expressed breast milk. Additionally, you can store freshly expressed breast milk at room temperature for four hours, in the refrigerator for four days, and in the freezer for six to twelve months. You have two hours to use the leftover milk from the feeding if your baby does not finish it.
child poop
Occasionally, your newborn will pass a thick, dark-colored fluid called meconium during the first few days after delivery; this is typical. A breastfed newborn will begin having six to eight soft, greenish-yellow, occasionally seed-filled stools daily within a few days.
On the other hand, if your child is formula-fed, he or she will probably have one or two thicker, yellower, or tan stools per day. Large fluctuations in the color, consistency, and regularity of your baby’s stools are typical unless they show symptoms of diarrhea.
Feet and legs
Legs and feet are often twisted and bent in newborns. Its posture in this position resembles that of the fetus. Aside from that, a newborn’s toes regularly overlap, and sometimes the nails appear to be ingrown (although they are not).
Do not panic; Your baby’s legs and feet will straighten between 6 and 18 months of age.
Naps
After about three months, your baby will begin to develop a schedule; Until then, anything goes. Although rigidity is not required, the structure is beneficial for both parents and baby. Most babies nap naturally between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. m. and 2 p.m. m. when they are 9 months old. However, resist the temptation to impose a routine on your child for the sake of convenience.
Crying
Babies can cry a lot. If you think about it a little, it makes sense, since their only way of expressing their needs is by crying. However, discovering the cause of your crying may require some investigation.
Some tips for comforting crying babies:
Rule out the most obvious causes: Are they hungry? Are they soaked? Are they worn out? Do you have gasoline? Do you have any temperature problems?
Let them take a sip from the bottle, finger, breast, or pacifier. (If you are breastfeeding, many experts recommend delaying offering a pacifier until breastfeeding is going well to avoid nipple confusion.)
Wrap them securely in a blanket with their arms inside to recreate a womb-like environment. Then, while making loud “shush” noises in his ear, hold him firmly on his left side or stomach and shake him gently.
Take them for a walk or ride in your car, or put them in a baby swing. (Babies enjoy movement!)
Above all, maintain your composure! Your baby will feel your tension if you do this. Keep in mind that when babies cry, this will pass.
