Bringing a newborn home is an experience like no other. Parents experience an unexplainable joy. Along with it, it is perfectly fine to experience a sense of worry and unpreparedness, especially for first-time parents.

 

It is impossible to know how the first year of having a newborn will unfold, even for parents who have had children before. Some tips can help ensure parents, caregivers, and grandparents get enough resources to know what to do when taking care of a baby.

 

Feeding and Sleeping

Feeding can be an around-the-clock activity. Newborns can have unpredictable patterns of feeding. As a parent, take every feeding time as a chance to bond more with your baby. Start by feeding your baby with breast milk.

 

If breast milk is not possible, using formula is also okay. Newborns do not need other forms of liquid or food. Newborns feed on cue from 8 to 12 times per day. Be aware that with every growth spurt, your baby may change their eating habits.

 

Safety and Handling

Newborn care involves safety and handling. You can consider these tips:

 

• Use a properly installed infant car seat
   

• Be careful when setting down your baby to avoid falling or rolling
   

• Avoid carrying your baby simultaneously with hot liquids and fluids.
   

• Clear any small things around the surroundings of your infant
  
   

Babies can put anything they touch in their mouths and choke.

 

Bathing and Cleaning

Bathing a newborn has benefits that go beyond cleanliness. Bathing helps soothe your baby and can induce sleep seamlessly. Practicing cleaning and bathing your baby can be enjoyable and easy by using the following tips:

 

• Develop a bath time routine
   

• Be gentle and sensitive while cleaning the umbilical cord and private parts of your baby
   

• Use a soft and gentle cotton ball or washcloth to clean the eyes and face of your baby
   

• Babies have sensitive skin. Using a mild soap to wash the diaper area and hands is advisable
   

• Keep your baby warm by bathing them with warm water. Keep the room warm by using a heater. Babies tend to lose their body heat quickly
   

• Hang on to the newborn while bathing them in the tab
   

• Ensure all bathing supplies are within arm’s reach
  
   

Bonding

Newborns are born ready to bond with their caregivers or parents. Bonding is a process that requires consistency. While bonding can be easy for mothers, some fathers may struggle to initiate it. Activities such as being present during labor and delivery, singing to your newborn, reading to your infant, and bathing them can help.

 

Health

Pediatricians set up consistent appointments for infants. Ensuring you take your baby for every one of them will help in their growth and development. Being keen on any changes your infant shows is crucial in case of a medical emergency. If your baby presents a fever and changes in behavior, appetite, or tenderness around their penis or navel, take them to the hospital immediately.

 

Contact your pediatrician if your baby has symptoms such as diarrhea, rash, constipation, and vomiting.


 

For more parenting tips for newborn care and safety, contact Advanced Pediatrics PC at our offices in Elmhurst or Jackson Heights, New York. You can also call (718) 271-2600 to book an appointment today.