BABY CARE TIPS FOR NEW BORN

HERE ARE SOME TIPS THAT CAN HELP YOU A LOT.

Wear your baby. Hold your baby, preferably skin to skin, as much as possible. Nurse without looking at a clock, and offer the breast whenever your baby is even a little unhappy. Either have baby share your bed or have her in a co-sleeper right next to the bed so you can nurse during the night without really getting up. Both of you will be more rested and happier. Sing, read and talk with your baby as you go about your day. Make eye contact and smile often. By doing these things, your baby will know that he is loved and cared for. A happy, content baby makes for a happy, content family.

POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND:

1. Relax, remain calm and smile. Happy parents make happy babies. If you stress, it somehow gets to them too.
2. If health of the mother is not an issue, the baby should be exclusively breastfed for atleast 6 months. If you need to, the only other thing that should be fed to the baby is infant formula.
3. Do not give honey to the baby till 1 year of age.
4. Try to avoid using disposable diapers. Opt for modern cloth diapers or traditional cloth nappies.
5. Do not compare your baby with other babies. Remember, each child is different and have their own way of reaching milestones/ gaining weight/ growing tall etc etc etc. If anyone else tells you stories about how xyz baby is so chubby while yours is lean or vice versa, do not get bogged down so worried.
6. Dress your baby in comfortable clothes. Do not put multiple layers of unnecessary clothing that might over heat the baby’s body. Follow a simple rule of putting on one extra layer than yourself for the baby.

What is the best advice someone gave you about life with a newborn?

Don’t buy tons of new clothes. They grow so fast that even hand me downs look new.

Don’t let people influence you with their opinions about feeding/sleeping/raising your child. Your hormones make you sensitive to comments. Ignore them and trust yourself.

Ignore the housework. As long as dishes and bottles are clean the rest can wait. Nobody ever died from a bit of dust.

If relatives come over uninvited put them to work. Thank them for coming and you really need help with - that’s a way to get your housework done.

Don’t waste time fretting. Enjoy your time together

What are the things we need to take care of a recently born baby?

1. Breastfeed till 6 months : Till 6 months of age baby should be given breast feed only. Weaning should be started only after 6months of age. All the essential nutrients are provided by breast milk to baby.Best milk for baby is mother's milk then next is formula milk.Cow and buffalo milk is better to avoid . Infections , constipation and calcium deficiency are some of problems associated with top milk.
2. Handling the baby Supporting baby head : When handling baby , always give support to his head. Baby holds neck at 3months of age.Never shake the baby .It can harm the brain.
3. Burping : Always burp the baby after feed. Baby can vomit in small quantity ,curd like after feeding. Burping can help baby for this.
4. Vaccinations : Vaccinations are must for every baby.There is a universal immunisation program which should be followed by every parents. Vaccinations can prevent your babies from various life threatening infections and prevents morbidity and mortality in children.
5. Bathing : Use drinking water for giving bath to baby.Use mild soaps while giving bath to baby. Apply moisturizing lotion over baby skin.Never apply talcum powder and kajal.
6. Massage of baby: Coconut oil, Olive oil and mustard oil are best for massaging baby. Massage to baby should be preferably given by mother which improves better bonding between mother and baby.
7. Dressing : Use only cotton clothes for newborn babies.
8. Cleaning of Umbilical cord: Take proper hygiene practice for cleaning Umbilical cord. If there is any pus discharge please contact your doctor.
9. Cleaning of nose: Baby nose should be cleaned with bulb suction if nasal secretions are there. It is normal for babies to have some nasal blockage due to dryness. Use saline nasal drops for cleaning it.
10. Use of powder and kajal : should be avoided
11. Use of multivitamins : Give vitamin D to babies till atleast 1year. Doctor also use some vitamin b complex.
12. Maintenance of baby temperature : It is must to maintain appropriate temperature of babies. Always judge their temperature by touching them.They should have warm extremeties. In summer season they should not be overclothed ,which can result in fever.
13. Swaddle a baby : Babies should be properly wrapped for their better care.
14. Soother or pacifier : should be avoided, can result in infection.
15. Care of urine and motion : Newborns can pass urine every half to one hour which is normal. Their motion frequency can also vary from Children to Children, some can pass motion very frequently 10 to 15 times a day small quantity. Some cannot pass motion for 4to 5days .Both are normal for babies and nothing to worry till baby accepting feed and gaining weight.
16. Weight of baby : Baby weight double in first 4to 5 month of age and it is three times of birth weight near first birthday. Always have a growth and development records of baby during well baby check up of your child, it can be recorded at Vaccination visits also.

What items do you really need with a new born baby?

The big ticket items you need for your baby are:

• Cot
• Pram
• Car Seat
• Change Table (a savvy option here is to use a chest of drawers and put a change mat on top).

Ideally you should purchase these by the start of the 3rd Trimester so you can feel ready and prepared for your baby’s arrival. These items will be the major purchases you need to make for your baby, therefore it is important to invest wisely as you will be using them for quite some time to come. Consider your current needs and your future needs too so that you can avoid having to upgrade in the future.

When baby arrives home make sure you have these items ready:

• Cot sheets (organic cotton is best check out Bubbaroo organic 500TC cotton sateen fitted cot sheets)
• A baby sleeping bag or swaddle wrap (this means you don’t have to put top sheets and blankets on the bed, saving you money and giving you peace of mind that baby can’t suffocate under the covers).
• Clothing – this one is hard to specify as it will depend on the time of year that your baby is born. In summer you will only need a few light weight/short sleeve onesies or t-shirt and shorts, singlets and a few long sleeves for cooler days. For a winter baby you will need more layers such as cotton vests or singlets, long sleeve tops and pants or onesies, a few jumpers plus socks and a beanie. Remember that babies can get dirty easily so you may change outfits a couple of times during the day. Make sure you have enough for about 5 days to get you started. You can always buy more after baby is born and you are more certain about their size. Babies grow so quickly so you definitely don’t want to buy too much of the one size! Friends and family will often gift you clothes too or hand them down!
• Diapers or Nappies – whether you want to go cloth diapers or disposable get the newborn size, but not too many as babies can grow quickly. There are also more eco friendly diaper alternatives. Don’t forget wipes to clean up, alternatively a 100% cotton flannel. You’ll need lots of these too but do ensure you purchase natural ones that are not artificially scented as it may irritate baby’s skin. , alternatively a 100% cotton flannel
• Breastfeeding mums will not need any equipment other than breast pads and burp cloths (you could use versatile Bubbaroo Bamboo Muslin wraps.
• Nappy/Diaper bag – something to carry around all the things you need when you are out and about. There are so many stylish and functional options to choose from.
• Rocker – this handy when you want to put baby down but let them see the world. Perhaps if you’re having a shower, hanging out the washing or cooking dinner baby can be nearby and not lying flat on their back all the time which can lead to other issues. Read our blog on Plagiocephaly.
• Play mat/blanket – babies need tummy time from an early age (see above Plagiocephaly reference) so get a nice blanket that you can spread on the floor. It is also helpful to put baby on when you go to a friend’s house or to mother’s group in those early months before baby gets mobile!
• Wraps and blankets. Babies can’t regulate their temperature so you will need to cover them up, even in summer time. Our lightweight bamboo muslin wraps are perfect for summer days or a baby 100% natural swaddle or baby sleeping bag. For a winter and cooler weather a baby sleeping bag is invaluable, the 100% natural 2.5TOG baby sleeping bags from Bubbaroo are padded with Australian wool which is a natural insulator. All Bubbaroo swaddles and baby sleeping bags come with a handy What to Wear guide based on the temperature of baby’s room.

What are good hacks for parents with infants and toddlers?

There is only one suggestion* I have which involves material objects. The rest of the hacks for parents of two or more infants and toddlers concerns what to say to create the people we would like our children to become (happy human beings).

With a newborn infant and toddler, the single most important thing parents can do is to create feelings of sufficiency for everyone in the family.

Implementing this hack: the toddler is the one to whom all conversation is directed during the constant patter of chatter that parents provide to their children. We use language to engage both of our children, and pointing out to both children what the other one is doing is important in creating a conscious awareness of Other/Me as well as team spirit and feelings of sufficiency for the whole family (Us).

So when changing the baby's diapers, we announce the fact by singing "Let's go change the baby's diapers." Use whatever tune appeals to you. Make a singsong about it. It is a call to Unity. Invite your older child to join you. Say "What story are you going to tell your younger sister/brother while I change her/his diapers?"

Then listen to his/her story, about whatever s/he wants to say. Tell your baby to pay attention to her/his brother/sister. Tell the older child "This is how we taught you to speak and now you are teaching your baby sister/brother, just as your Daddy/Mommy taught you. S/he will always remember your voice, and that is a good thing."

This way, the older one is contributing so many valuable resources to the family: heart, stories, effort and time. The older one becomes invested in being a contributor: s/he is creating happiness. You as parents are creating an asset: sufficiency in the hearts of all your children.

Speak to your older child all the time like this. Whenever he/she gets home from preschool, or has spent time with relatives -- be baby-free (put the baby someplace else but not in your arms). That is your Being as far as your older toddler is concerned: you are sufficient for him/her and must demonstrate your availability to your toddler by being alone as parent, singularly ready for him/her, present, aware of him/her and consciously wanting to know how s/he is and to 'check in.' So, be baby-free whenever the older one enters the home after any absence.

As he/she enters, greet him/her warmly and ask about his/her most recent adventure. ("What did Grandpa say about your drawing?" etc.) Downplay everything related to the baby without denigrating babyhood. Just say "S/he slept and ate and pooped. Soon s/he will do other things, thank to your help in teaching her/him what s/he needs to know. Right now s/he needs to eat and sleep and grow. S/he's so lucky to have a brother/sister like you. You're a wonderful teacher and brother/sister. Soon s/he will be X (smiling, talking, crawling, etc.)"

Sufficiency means knowing that each of us is complete, valuable, cherished, wanted, is capable of contributing value -- and will always have all of his/her needs for sufficiency met (emotional needs are even more important than any other need in early childhood other than adequate nutrition and sleep).

So the best hack, the primary hack, is ample sufficiency. Sufficiency creates generous and loving human beings who feel there is 'enough' in the world, and 'enough' within to give to others.

The next hack is to teach independence. "I like the way you did X all by yourself." And then the parent describes how the baby smiled all by herself/himself because because the older one taught her/him how to do that. And the parent describes how the toddler did Y all by himself/herself, first deciding what to do and then doing it. Note that the less a child asks for permission the more independent s/he becomes. We all have the right to explore and exploration should always be encouraged. BTW -- save the word NO only for the most seriously dangerous situations (electrical outlets, street safety, holding hands in public, crowded places).

Raising children with sufficiency creates children who want to be contributors and independent -- so they are learning to do more to create more sufficiency and competency. Keeping that in mind once sufficiency is an established technique/modality is really important.

The next hack is to teach cooperation. This involves first you as parent, and then other children. AVOID the word 'share' and instead use the term 'taking turns.' Sharing is an abstract concept. Taking turns is much more concrete. To teach taking turns, find a teeter totter and say "Now it's your turn to go up, and my turn to go down." Repeat the narration and say "Now it's my turn to go up, and your turn to go down." Then find another toddler and narrate "Johnny is up and Jenny is down. Now Jenny is up and Johnny is down." That's the fastest way to teach turn-taking, and your child will see that turn-taking is fair, and 50-50. That is, it is the way to assure the greatest sufficiency for each participant. Cooperation is about creating sufficiency for all participants. As your toddler gains mastery of the concept of taking turns, ask for examples in daily life. "Did you see how people at the store wait in line for their turn with the cashier?" etc.

The next hack to teach is perseverance. This one is easy: say in a sing-song voice to your toddler: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." You can even use the baby's baby steps in smiling or trying to sit, or to crawl and say this so that your older and younger child both hear you say it over and over again. Say it every day. Later on you can teach the nuanced version of this hack, which is: if you don't succeed after many efforts, re-evaluate your problem-solving efforts and technique as another method of 'trying.'

By teaching these hacks using insight and humor, a singsong voice when announcing group activities ("Clean up, clean up, everybody clean up"), children learn to be capable human beings with feelings of security, generosity, personal boundaries, and capability.

*With respect to material objects and memes, you can also use bandanas as rags, handkerchiefs and burp rags -- and even ask a relative, neighbor or friend to make some for you in a fabric of your choosing. These are better than wipes, use less plastic, use fewer trees, and are recyclable and washable. Ditto creating your own swaddling blankets, in fabric you select (flannel... so soft and cozy!). Remember to make multiple matching blankets in a larger size for your toddler: these will become transitory objects to love for both children when parents are away on their weekly date night out.