Taking care of a newborn baby can be an overwhelming experience for a new mother. While you may feel nervous handling your baby at first, feeding, bathing and caring for your newborn will soon become just another part of your routine. Reviewing several baby care tips can help you feel confident in your new role as a mother of an infant.
Handling Crying
Newborns use crying to convey needs and emotions ranging from hunger to pain to loneliness. Often decoding what each cry means requires detective work. If it's been several hours since your newborn ate, crying may indicate hunger. A wet diaper or being too hot or too cold can also bring on tears. Babies enjoy human contact and may cry just because they want to be held. Although every baby cries, some newborns develop colic, a condition characterized by intense periods of crying. Colic usually begins a few weeks after birth and improves by the age of three months, according to MayoClinic.com. Swaddling your baby, placing her in a swing or taking her on a car ride may help reduce crying.
Feeding Baby
Newborn babies need to be fed every two or three hours, although babies should be fed whenever they seem hungry, according to KidsHealth website from Nemours. If your baby is not eating enough, you may need to wake him and offer him a breast or bottle. Although you can tell how much formula your baby drank just by looking at the markings on the side of the bottle, it can be difficult to tell just how much milk your breastfed baby drank. If your baby sleeps well, is gaining weight and produces approximately six wet diapers and several stools per day, he is probably eating enough, according to KidsHealth.
Bathing Tips
BabyCenter suggests sponge baths with a lukewarm cloth until your baby's umbilical cord falls off. Make sure you fill the tub or sink with an inch or two of lukewarm water to prevent accidental drowning. Support your child's head while you place her in the tub. Mild soaps and shampoos intended for infant use can help protect your child's sensitive skin. Wrap your baby in a soft, clean towel after her bath and pat her skin dry, avoiding any vigorous rubbing.
Diapering Tips
You'll soon become an expert at changing diapers, although at first it may seem impossible to change a diaper while holding a wriggling baby still. Whether you use cloth or disposable diapers, you'll need to stock up on diaper rash ointment and wipes or washcloths. After removing the soiled diaper, gently clean your baby's genitals with a wipe or moist washcloth. KidsHealth recommends cleaning your baby girl's genitals from the front to the back to prevent a urinary tract infection. Apply a diaper rash cream to the genitals after placing a fresh diaper on your baby. You can help prevent diaper rash by changing your baby as soon as you notice a soiled diaper
