Ensuring Infant Health: A Guide for New Parents

After waiting for your baby’s arrival for almost nine months, it might feel surreal to bring the tiny human home. Most parents decorate the entire home, whereas others fill the place with baby essentials and toys. Even though you have everything planned, you might feel you don’t know what you are doing. One minute, you will find yourself feeding the baby, and the other, changing diapers. In short, the little human will keep you on your toes. 

New parents often feel overwhelmed and nervous. Some don’t know how to handle a crying baby, whereas others can’t find their way around basic chores such as bathing. Instead of being tough on yourself, give yourself a break. After all, no one can learn everything overnight. Begin your parenting journey by connecting with your child. If the baby is vomiting after every feed, change your burping style or the milk formula. Otherwise, you can always seek help from a midwife nurse. 

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Remember, raising children is nothing less than a challenge. It requires immense dedication, care, and focus; hence, take things slow. To help you out, here’s our guide for new parents to ensure infant health. 

  • Look for Signs of Distress 

Truthfully, babies cry a lot, but there is always a reason behind it; it might be your baby is hungry, or the diaper needs to change. Therefore, you don’t have to worry. But if there are uncontrollable crying episodes, you must look for signs of distress. Perhaps, your baby might have a congenital disability. Some conditions are already noticeable, whereas others, like congenital heart disease, require a diagnosis. Hence, look for signs and seek immediate help. 

If something turns out wrong, don’t hesitate to seek legal help. Most birth injuries are a result of a doctor’s negligence. You can visit childbirthinjuries.com and file a lawsuit to get rightful compensation for the injuries caused. It can be extremely overwhelming for new parents but remember, science has a cure for almost everything. And within a few days, your baby will be back to being healthy. 

  • Learn the Bathing Basics 

New parents are too scared even to carry and hold the baby. After all, those little hands and toes are incredibly fragile. So, the question is how to give a bath to the baby. Until the umbilical cord falls off, you must continue giving the baby the sponge bath. Find a flat surface in a warm room and fill your sink with hot water. Wrap the baby in a towel and clean the face with cotton balls. You can use a wet cloth/towel to wash the rest of the body gently. However, pay special attention to creases under the arms and behind the ears.

After the umbilical cord comes off, you can give your baby a proper tub bath. You must purchase an infant tub and fill it with 2-3 inches of warm water. Use your hand to support the little one’s head and start pouring water. You must pour water gently, so the baby doesn’t feel cold. After the bath, wrap the baby in the towel with their head covered. 

  • Circumcision and Umbilical Cord Care

Undoubtedly, your baby boy would be in immense pain after circumcision, but you must remain strong. You have to take care of the wound and ensure it doesn’t stick to the diaper. For that, clean the tip with warm water after the diaper and apply petroleum jelly. It will heal the redness and irritation while eliminating the likelihood of blisters. 

Besides this, umbilical cord care in newborns is equally essential. Some doctors might advise swabbing the area with rubbing alcohol, whereas others suggest leaving the area alone. Thus, you should talk to your baby’s doctor to determine what they have to say. Remember, a baby’s naval area should never be submerged in water until the cord stump falls off. 

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  • Connect with Your Baby 

Babies build an emotional connection with parents due to close physical contact. You can strengthen this bond by trying to connect with your baby. Try holding them close to you since it will stimulate hearing. Likewise, it is equally essential to motivate the baby’s sight. Whenever your baby is awake, make sure they can see your face. 

Once your baby is 2-3 months old, you must smile a lot so they can reciprocate. Babies are born with a primitive 20/200 vision. Thus, it is crucial to hold them close so they can see their parents closely. During this stage, babies also learn much about their environment. Perhaps, you can allow your baby to experience different textures by exposing them to different sights and smells. Detailed exposure can develop motor skills and language. 

  • Follow a Sleeping Pattern 

As a new parent, you might feel surprised to know that your little human sleeps for 16 hours more. Typically, newborns sleep for straight 2-4 hours, so don’t expect your baby to sleep through the night. Their digestive system is small; hence they need milk after a few hours. However, this is not a topic of concern. Babies develop their sleep patterns and cycles like adults, so don’t worry if your baby doesn’t sleep through the night. 

Regarding sleeping practices, place babies on their backs to sleep and avoid using blankets on the crib. In addition, alternate the baby’s head position from night to night to prevent any flat spots from developing on the head. 

  • Feeding & Burping the Baby 

New mothers don’t know how often to feed their babies. According to the doctors, babies should be fed on demand, but parents feel it might disrupt their feeding pattern. A newborn baby feels hungry after every 2-3 hours. So, give your baby about 10-15 minutes of nursing time if you are breastfeeding. Similarly, your baby will take about 2-3 ounces of your formula feeding. 

Besides this, some newborns don’t cry when they are hungry. Thus, you must awaken them every few hours to ensure they get enough nutrition. Also, babies often swallow air during feeding, which makes them fussy. To prevent this, you must burp your baby often. Preferably, after every 2-3 ounces of milk. 

Final Thoughts 

As a new parent, you would be excited to care for a newborn baby, but you will face a hard time. Babies are naïve and new to this world; hence, they don’t follow the rules. As a result, you might feel edgy or overwhelmed, but you will develop a routine in a few months. You will learn what your baby likes, when it’s best to feed, and their sleeping patterns, making you a parenting pro.