Having a newborn baby in the house can be the most magical time of your life. But whether it’s your first or third child, taking care of a little one can be a steep learning curve. After going through the harrowing ordeals of pregnancy, labor, and delivery, you finally begin a new chapter of your life. However, along with unsurmountable joy, this experience can also make you feel overwhelmed, terrified, and exhausted.
In this era of digitalization and technology, there’s no shortage of information regarding ways to care for a baby. But being overburdened by this knowledge can quickly become more harmful than beneficial if you don’t fully understand it. This is because while all babies are generally similar, they have different temperaments, needs, and dispositions. In these early years of their lives, newborns need responsive caring. As a result, the American Academy of Pediatrics developed the Essential Care for Every newborn baby curriculum to ensure every caregiver follows the proper guidelines and protocols for newborn care.
Although caring for your baby may seem challenging and staggering, it’s not impossible. These six ways can help you provide your newborn with the best care without overtaxing yourself and allowing you to enjoy the entire experience.
1.) Choose Your Doctor Carefully
Medical negligence is often the most common cause of birth injuries in newborns. During gestation and childbirth, there is a high risk of complications. Therefore, you must choose the most suitable medical professional to handle your case and avoid mishaps during or after delivery. Doing so avoids the risk of potential accidents and protects your baby from incurring any injury. To learn about possible causes, visit www.childbirthinjuries.com and see how to avoid them.
Choosing the right doctor can also be highly beneficial in providing you with all the crucial help and learning you’ll need regarding your newborn baby. From routine checkups to immunization schedules, everything gets handled efficiently.
2.) Learn How To Hold Your Baby
Holding a newborn might seem scary at first because babies feel fragile and delicate. However, you shouldn’t be afraid to touch or have your baby. First, make a habit of washing your hands to avoid putting your child at risk of acquiring an infection. Next, you must always be careful to support the baby’s head, and neck with your hand since their muscles aren’t yet fully developed. For example, if you’re walking while carrying the baby, keep their head against your shoulder to support them. Most importantly, if you want to wake your newborn, you must never do it by shaking them, even as a play. Instead, try tickling their feet or blowing gently on the cheek to stir them up.
3.) Know How To Feed Your Baby
Although newborns usually don’t have a large appetite, you must feed them every little while. A baby needs food every two to three hours during the first few weeks. But this might differ from one baby to the next, and you must recognize the signs of your newborn’s hunger. Therefore, it’s vital to equip yourself with the relevant knowledge and proper ways of feeding your child, whether breastfeeding or bottle-providing.
Since most babies require nourishment every few hours, this can take a heavy toll on the parents, especially feeding mothers. Therefore, you must also take care of yourself and rest when possible to avoid burning yourself out.
4.) Keep Your Baby Warm
Since babies don’t have as much insulating body fat as adults, they can’t regulate their body temperature as effectively. Additionally, their smaller bodies have a greater surface area by weight, resulting in quicker heat loss. As a result, when they feel cold, they use their oxygen and energy reserves to generate warmth which may lead to medical interventions or urgent neonatal care. Therefore, you must pay extra attention when dressing them up, especially when you’re going outdoors. A helpful rule of thumb is to give your newborn an additional layer of attire than what you’re wearing.
While keeping your newborn baby warm is necessary, you must also avoid bundling them in several layers and overheating them. Instead, keep an optimal body temperature to help them hold onto their energy reserves.
5.) Be Careful Of How They Sleep
Babies typically sleep in short intervals of two to four hours throughout the day. However, since their digestive system is so small, they require food every few hours, and you must awaken them if they continue to sleep for longer.
When putting your newborn baby to sleep, always place them on their backs to help reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. Never place heavy quilts, blankets, stuffed animals, or pillows in your newborn’s crib, as these can quickly suffocate the baby. It’s best to keep your baby’s bassinet in the same room as your own, so you can check on them every few hours and listen for any discomfort they might feel.
As babies grow, they develop their sleeping cycle and pattern, which better helps you adjust their meal schedules. New moms must sleep when their baby is napping and catch up on their rest as often as possible.
6.) Practice Bonding And Soothing
Perhaps one of the most delightful parts regarding newborn care is when parents bond with their baby during the early hours of birth or days after. Your connection with the baby depends on this bonding, as research closely links physical closeness to a child’s emotional strength. Unfortunately, many new parents associate this phenomenon with “falling in love” with their baby, which plays a critical role in their upbringing well into adulthood. Children are more likely to thrive when their environments offer unconditional love and there’s support around every corner.
To bond with your baby, practice cradling or gently stroking them. You can also try skin-to-skin contact with the newborn, which promotes oxytocin secretion and lowers stress levels. This practice also enhances a feeling of protectiveness for your baby and must therefore be encouraged.
Additionally, if your newborn is unusually sensitive to sound, light, or even touch—you must know how to soothe and help them relax. For some babies, swaddling works incredibly well since it keeps them warm while giving them comfort and security. Other techniques like singing to your newborn baby, reading, or rocking them gently can help soothe them and put them to sleep.
Conclusion
You might feel anxious about caring for your newborn in the first few weeks. After that, it might feel like you’re doing everything wrong, and nothing seems to be working. But this is all normal. Fortunately, you can use these strategies above to act as your guide and see how quickly you become a pro at parenting.
