A Guide for First-Time Parents

Now that your kid is here, your life has changed, and you may be confused about what to do. In little time at all, these pointers can give first-time parents the confidence they need to take care of a baby.

After my baby gets home, how can I get help?

Taking care of oneself is just as vital as taking care of a newborn. During this hectic and sometimes overwhelming period, think about receiving help.

Friends and family may wish to assist. Their personal experiences may be useful, even if you don’t agree with them on everything.

Anyone caring for your child should be up to date on their vaccinations in order to keep them healthy, and they should only assist if they are feeling well. However, don’t feel bad about limiting visitors if you’re not feeling up to hosting or if you have other worries.

How Should I Treat My Infant?

In case you haven’t had much experience with babies, they could appear really delicate. Here are some essentials to keep in mind:

Before touching your kid, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. Because their immune systems are still developing, newborns are susceptible to illnesses. Ensure that all hands handling your infant are clean.

Support the head and neck of your infant. Hold your baby’s head cradled in your arms. Additionally, give your infant support for their head whether you lay them down or carry them upright.

Never, ever shake your baby—in fun or out of irritation. Shaking can result in cerebral hemorrhage and occasionally even death. Avoid jarring your infant when you need to wake them up. Instead, give your infant a gentle cheek kiss or tickle their feet.

Whenever your kid is in a stroller, car seat, or carrier, be sure they are properly fastened. Any activity that could be overly bouncy or harsh should be limited.

Don’t play rough with newborns by throwing them in the air or jiggling them on your knee.

How Can My Baby and I Form a Bond?

When parents establish a strong bond with their kid in the early hours and days following delivery, bonding takes place. Being physically near to your infant might foster additional developmental benefits as well as an emotional bond. Bonding may also be thought of as “falling in love” with your child. Having a parent or other adult in their life who loves them without conditions is really beneficial for kids.

Cradle your infant and softly stroke them in various ways to start building a relationship. Skin-to-skin contact, commonly known as kangaroo care, is another effective method in which you hold your infant against your chest. This aids in calming, soothing, and heartbeat regulation in newborns. It’s a beneficial habit for parents to adopt.

This is how you can touch your baby’s skin to skin:

Avert scented lotions and fragrances, and avoid being around cigarette smoke before applying them.

In a dimly lit room, choose a comfy seat. Put on a shirt with a front opening. Place your infant on your naked chest, simply wearing a diaper.

Read loudly, hum, sing, or just sit quietly and converse gently. Your infant could doze off at this period.

How Can I Calm My Infant?

Babies who receive relaxation assistance tend to be happier and more at ease. Here are some suggestions for calming your infant.

Massage: Massage therapy for infants can be beneficial, particularly for premature newborns or babies with medical issues. There are massages that can improve bonding and support the growth and development of newborns. Ask your doctor for advice. There are a lot of books and videos on infant massage. But exercise caution—babies lack the strength of adults, so give them gentle massages.

noises: Talking, babbling, singing, and cooing are among the vocal noises that babies often like. It’s likely that your infant will like soothing music. Additional beneficial methods to boost your baby’s hearing are through baby rattles and musical mobiles. Try reading aloud, singing, or reciting nursery rhymes and poetry to your fussy child as you rock or swing them gently in a chair.

Certain newborns may exhibit extremely high sensitivity to sound, light, or touch. Their faces may turn away when someone speaks or sings to them, they may sleep less than usual, or they may be easily startled and scream. If your infant is like that, turn down to medium light and noise levels.

Swaddling: For some newborns, especially in the first few weeks of life, swaddling is an additional calming method. When swaddled properly, a baby’s arms stay close to their body and their legs have some movement. In addition to keeping a baby warm, it appears to provide most babies with a sense of safety and comfort. Additionally, swaddling may lessen the startle reaction, which can rouse an infant.

How to swaddle your infant is as follows:

A baby blanket should be spread out with one corner gently folded over.

With the infant’s head above the folded corner, place them faceup on the blanket.

The left corner should be wrapped around the infant’s torso, tucked under the right arm and under the back.

When the bottom corner approaches your baby’s face, fold it down. Lift the corner up over their feet and draw it toward their head. Avoid squeezing too firmly at the hips. The knees and hips should be turned out and slightly bent. Your kid may be more susceptible to hip dysplasia (dis-PLAY-zhuh) if you wrap them too tightly.

Your baby’s head and neck should remain uncovered while you encircle them with the right corner and tuck it under their back on the left. Make sure you can fit a hand between the blanket and your baby’s chest to ensure they are not wrapped too tightly. Breathing will be pleasant as a result. However, ensure that the blanket is not too loose to risk coming undone.

When your baby begins to roll over, stop swaddling them. That often equates to two months. Some newborns at this age are capable of rolling over while being swaddled, which increases the risk of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).

How Should My Baby Be Diapered?

Your child will soil their diapers around ten times a day, or roughly seventy times a week, whether you use cloth or disposable ones. When changing your child’s diaper:

Keep everything you’ll need close at hand.

Gently clean your infant from front to back using a washcloth or wipes, water, and cotton balls.

If you need to cure diaper rash, apply diaper cream.

Once the diaper has been changed, wash your hands.