Infant Care
The first few weeks at home with your new baby may seem
to be a whirlwind of feedings, diaper changing,
interrupted sleep, and friends and relatives who want to
visit and give you advice. Caring for a newborn,
especially your first, can be challenging. Here are some
key areas of concern for most new parents.
Visitors: Everyone wants to see the new baby.
However, in the first month it’s a good idea to limit
visitors to family and close friends. No one should visit
if he or she is sick.
Feeding: Your baby will need only breast milk or
formula for at least the first four months of life. Most
newborns feed every two to four hours, with breastfed
babies feeding more frequently than those who are bottle
fed. Simply feeding the baby can stop a cry of hunger.
Babies take in extra air when they feed, so remember to
burp the baby during a feeding to avoid gas or
indigestion. Burp the baby after every two ounces of
formula or when you are ready to switch breasts. One way
to burp a baby is to hold the baby against your shoulder
while supporting his or her bottom with one hand. With the
other hand, gently pat or rub the baby’s back until he or
she burps. Babies who cry between feedings may need to
suck more often, which can be satisfied with a pacifier or
your clean finger. Because extremely active babies can
work themselves into a frenzy when they get hungry, you
may need to learn to anticipate when your baby is going to
be hungry and offer the feeding before he or she becomes
upset. Babies that cry often are more likely to have a lot
of gas from gulping air, and are more likely to spit up
frequently. A baby who is getting enough to eat should
show a steady weight gain, wet six or more diapers per
day, and have three or more bowel movements per day. Solid
foods are generally not begun before six months of age.
The first solid food is usually a single-grain cereal,
such as rice, mixed with breast milk or formula.
Sleeping: Your baby should sleep on his or her
back or side to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS). The baby should sleep in a crib that
meets federal safety standards, with no gaps between the
sides of the mattress and the sides of the crib. An infant
does not need a pillow. Many babies take a long time to
begin sleeping through the night. However, they also nap
frequently during the day. Don’t feel guilty about doing
the same. You need at least eight hours of sleep per day,
and its okay to get it several hours at a time until your
baby develops a regular sleep schedule. Take advantage of
those friends and relatives who want to help. If there
aren’t any nearby, hire a babysitter when you need a
break. It’s important to take good care of your baby and
yourself.
Crying: It is a fact of life that babies cry. In
fact, some babies seem to cry all the time. Crying is the
only way a baby can communicate a need. If your baby is
crying, it’s usually to tell you he or she is hungry,
experiencing pain or discomfort, overstimulated, sleepy,
startled or afraid, or bored. After a time, many parents
find they can identify why their baby is crying just from
the sound of his or her cry. Remember that the baby is not
crying just to annoy you or because you are a bad parent.
If your baby’s crying makes you feel angry or extremely
stressed, place the baby in his or her crib, and call
someone who can help you, such as a crisis hotline, your
doctor, or a family member or friend. Never hit or shake
the baby. It will not stop the crying and can cause
permanent damage or death.
Changing: A wet or soiled diaper should always
be changed as quickly as possible to avoid sore, irritated
skin. Change your baby on a flat, safe surface, and never
leave the baby unattended on a changing table. Use a
diaper wipe, or a clean washcloth dampened with warm water
and a gentle cleanser, to gently wipe your baby’s skin.
Pat the skin dry with a clean, soft cloth. Always wipe a
girl from front to back to avoid getting bacteria into the
vaginal area. If your baby does develop diaper rash, which
is a sore, red rash on the skin in the diaper area, your
doctor will recommend that you let your child’s skin get
as much air as possible. He or she can also recommend a
good barrier cream to protect the skin from moisture. The
best prevention is to change diapers frequently so the
skin stays dry. If your infant boy has been circumcised,
follow your doctor’s recommendations for cleaning the
circumcised area so that it heals properly.
Umbilical cord: Use a cotton ball or swab dipped
in a small amount of rubbing alcohol to moisten the stump
remaining after the umbilical cord is removed each day.
This will help it to dry up and eventually fall off, as
well as help prevent infection. Call your doctor if the
cord area looks red and sore and/or is oozing pus.
Bathing: In most cases, a bath every two to
three days is sufficient to keep your baby clean and
smelling fresh. A gentle sponge bath is all your baby
needs until the umbilical cord falls off. Then, you can
bathe your baby in a safe, shallow tub placed in a warm
place. Check the temperature of the water with your elbow
or the inside of your wrist to make sure it feels warm,
not hot. Your hot water heater should not be set higher
than 120 degrees F (49 degrees C). Never leave a baby
alone in the tub. At first, your baby may fuss and cry at
bath time. Remember that everything is new to your baby
and it may take a while for him or her to discover that
bath time is fun. While supporting your baby’s back and
head, use a mild cleanser to gently wash the baby. Never
place anything in your baby’s ears. If you think your baby
has too much earwax, ask your doctor about it. After a
bath, when the nails are softer, use nail scissors
designed for a baby’s small hands to carefully trim each
nail. Some parents find nail trimming is easy to do while
their baby is sleeping.
Medical Checkups: Before you leave the hospital,
you should have a scheduled follow-up visit with your
family doctor or pediatrician. Your baby should have
regular checkups to ensure that he or she is developing
properly and is in good health. It is also important to
receive regularly scheduled immunizations to protect
against disease.
Illness: Most babies get colds, ear infections,
and other illnesses during the first year of life. How do
you know when an illness is serious enough to call a
doctor? Never hesitate to call and speak to a nurse at
your doctor’s office if you are concerned about your
baby’s health. The office is used to receiving these types
of calls and will be happy to answer your questions and
tell you if you should bring the baby in for an
examination. Always call your doctor if you baby can’t
seem to stop crying, has a fever of 100.4 degrees F (38
degrees C) taken with a rectal thermometer, is unusually
sleepy or unresponsive, or seems to be in pain.
Taking your baby out: It’s okay for a new baby to go
outside. Just be sure to dress the baby appropriately for
the weather, not overdressing or underdressing. It is a
common mistake to dress a baby too warmly in the summer –
if you wouldn’t be comfortable in the amount of clothing
your baby is wearing, then neither will your baby. Protect
the baby from the sun with a light hat. Infants under the
age of six months should not wear sunscreen. When riding
in the car, always make sure your baby is securely seat
belted into a car seat that meets federal safety
standards.
While rewarding, taking care of an infant is demanding.
It’s okay to feel frustrated sometimes. It’s important to
have someone you can talk to about how you are feelings,
problems you are having, or any questions you have. It’s
also important to take a break sometimes. Try to spend
some time alone or with friends at least once a week. Talk
to a doctor if you are feeling depressed or having
difficulty coping with the responsibilities of a new baby.
He or she can recommend ways to help you feel better.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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