After the delivery of a newborn baby, it is the most challenging thing for a parent to do. So it is important to get the knowledge of how to do newborn baby care.
These are the tips that can feel comfortable to a new parent about how to care for a newborn baby.
1. Holding a newborn baby
a) Wash your hands/sanitize your hands
It is the first important thing while taking care of the newborn baby. A newborn baby has a weak immune system so there is a high risk of getting an infection. Therefore make sure who holds the baby must wash or sanitize hands.
b) Support newborn head and shoulder
When carrying a newborn upright or lay down, you must support the baby’s head and shoulder through your hand. so you must be careful while carrying a baby.
Massaging is the best way to bond with your newborn. Massaging helps to relax the body of the newborn and it will create a bond of skin-to-skin touch. Massaging helps in the blood circulation of the baby’s body. Hence, it is more important to give a gentle massage to a newborn baby.
b) Swaddling a newborn baby
Swaddling is the best way to soothe your newborn baby. Swaddling helps a baby to keep warm and it gives the baby feeling of the womb which makes the baby comfortable and relaxed. swaddling means wrapping a baby’s arms in a baby blanket while allowing some movement of legs. so it is important to learn a swaddling method for newborn parents.
3. Bathing
a) Sponge bath a newborn baby
A sponge bath means washing your newborn with a washcloth. These are the steps to do a sponge bath for newborns.
. Fill a bowl with warm water (not hot water) check the temperature of the water with an elbow.
. Undress your baby and wrap in a towel
. Wipe your infant eyes with a washcloth
. Clean your baby’s nose and ear with a damp cloth
. Next, use a little shampoo and apply to babies head and rinse
. Using a wet washcloth and soap to clean the rest part of the body don’t forget underarms, under ears, under necks, and lastly diaper areas.
b) Tub bath
Fill the infant tub with water and check the temperature of the water. Put an infant tub with 2-3 inches of warm water and make the temperature of the room warm to prevent chills. Undress a baby and put it in the tub. Use one hand to support the baby’s head and slowly wash your baby with a washcloth and soap. When you rinse the soap and shampoo, put your hand on your newborn baby’s forehead to prevent it from getting into your baby’s eyes after bathing wrap your newborn baby into a towel immediately, and make sure to cover your baby’s head correctly.
4. Umbilical cord care
When the baby is in the womb umbilical cord is the way to get nutrition from the mother. After the birth of the baby, it is important to take care of the umbilical cord. The umbilical cord area should be kept dry. Usually, in 10 days to 3 weeks, the umbilical cord falls off and changes its color. If the umbilical cord area of the newborn baby looks red and if a foul odor and discharge appear you should consult your doctor immediately.
5. Feeding a newborn baby
A newborn baby needs to feed in 2-3 hours. If you are breastfeeding your baby then try to nurse for 10-15 mins each breast. If you are formula feeding then feed your baby 2-3 ounces at each feeding. It is necessary to monitor whether your baby is getting enough to eat or not. It is easy to monitor in formula feeding but tricky to monitor in breastfeeding. If your baby produces six wet diapers and stool, sleeps well, and gains weight then your baby is getting enough milk.
After feeding it is necessary to burp out because burping helps to take out the gas-filled in the newborn baby's stomach while feeding. There are many ways to burp out the baby. Here are the following ways:
. Hold the baby upright put his/her head in your shoulder .support your baby’s head and shoulder with one hand and pat softly at the back of your baby with another hand.
. Lay your baby face-down on your lap. Support your baby’s head, making sure it’s higher than his or her chest, and gently pat or rub his or her back.
After feeding try to keep your baby upright to prevent from spitting up.
6. Sleeping
The newborn baby’s sleep is the most concerning thing for new parents. A newborn baby sleeps 16 hours a day. It is important to sleep your baby on the back to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. Don’t put any toys or blankets near the crib or bed while your baby’s sleeping which may suffocate your baby.
Some babies may sleep in a day and wake up during the night so to change the sleeping patterns of your baby try to engage the baby in a day and make the light dim at night to sleep.
Hence, these are the basic tips for new parents to care for a newborn baby. there is not a shortcut way to do parenting hope these tips will help you in your parenting journey, wish you good luck.
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