First-Time Parent Survival Guide

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Life might have changed since your kid arrived, and you may have many questions about what to do. These pointers will help first-time parents feel secure in caring for a new born in no time(1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
A Guide for First-Time Parents

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How Should I Handle My Baby?

If you haven't spent much time around babies, they may appear extremely frail. Here are some basics to remember:

Wash your hands (or sanitize them) before handling your infant. As newborns' immune systems are still developing, they are vulnerable to infections. Ensure that everyone who touches your baby has clean hands.

Support your baby's head and neck. When carrying your baby, cradle his or her head. Also, support the baby's head when carrying him or her upright or lying down.

Never shake your baby, whether to play or out of displeasure. Shaking can lead to brain hemorrhage and, in rare cases, death. If you need to wake your infant, avoid shaking. Instead, tickle your baby's feet or gently blow on their cheeks.

When using a carrier, stroller, or car seat, always ensure that your infant is securely fastened. Limit any activities that may be overly rough or bouncy.

Avoid rough play with newborns, such as jiggling them on your knees or pitching them in the air.

How Do I Get Help After My Baby Arrives Home?

Self-care is a vital aspect of caring for a newborn. Consider receiving support during this stressful and overwhelming period. Relatives and friends may be willing to help. Even if you disagree on some points, their personal experiences could be useful.

To keep your infant healthy, everybody who handles your child should be up to date on their vaccinations and only assist if they are feeling well. However, if you aren't feeling up to hosting guests or have other worries, don't feel bad about limiting visits.

How Can I Form a Bond With My Baby?

Bonding occurs during the initial hours and days following delivery when parents form a strong bond with their child. Physical contact can help your infant create an emotional bond and develop in other ways. Another way to describe bonding is "falling in love" with your baby. Children benefit from having a parent or another adult in their lives who loves them unconditionally.

Begin bonding with your infant by cuddling and gently caressing in various patterns. Another effective practice is skin-to-skin contact (also known as kangaroo care), in which you cradle your newborn against your own chest. This helps to relax, soothe, and regulate newborns' heartbeats. It is an excellent practice for both mothers and fathers.

How to make skin-to-skin contact with your newborn

• Avoid using scented perfumes or lotions, and keep away from cigarette smoke.
• Choose a comfortable seat in a dimly lit environment.
• Wear an open-fronted shirt.
• Place your kid in only a diaper on your naked chest.
• Sit quietly, speak gently, hum, sing, or read loudly.

Your infant may sleep during this time.

How Can I Comfort My Baby?

Helping newborns relax can make them happier and more comfortable. Here are some ideas for comforting your infant.

Massage: Infant massage may benefit babies, particularly those born prematurely or with medical conditions. Some massage techniques may improve bonding and help babies grow and develop. Many books and DVDs discuss infant massage; ask your doctor for recommendations. However, keep in mind that babies are not as strong as adults, so massage them gently.

Exposure to Music: Babies enjoy vocal noises such as chatting, chattering, singing, and cooing. Your baby will probably like listening to calm music. Baby rattles and musical mobiles are other effective ways to stimulate your infant's hearing. If your baby is fussy, try singing, reciting poetry and nursery rhymes, or reading aloud while gently swaying or rocking them in a rocker.

Some babies may be too sensitive to touch, light, or sound. They may startle and cry easily, sleep less than usual, or turn their heads away when someone speaks or sings to them. If this is the case for your baby, keep the noise and light levels low to medium.

Swaddling: This is another relaxing technique that some newborns respond favorably to during their first few weeks. Swaddling properly keeps a baby's arms close to their torso while allowing their legs to move slightly. It keeps a baby warm and appears to provide most babies with a sense of security and contentment. Swaddling may also help reduce the startle reaction, which can wake a newborn.

How to Swaddle Your Baby?

• Spread out a baby blanket, one corner folded over slightly.
• Lay the infant face up on the blanket, head over the folded corner.
• Wrap the left corner around the baby's torso and tuck it beneath the back, under his right arm.
• Bring the bottom corner up over the baby's feet and draw it toward the head, folding the fabric down if it reaches the face.
• Avoid wrapping too firmly around the hips. Hips and knees should be slightly bent and turned outward. Wrapping your kid too tightly may raise their chances of hip dysplasia.
• Wrap the right corner around your infant and tuck it under their back on the left side, exposing only their neck and head.
• To ensure that your infant is not overly tightly wrapped, place a hand between the blanket and his or her chest. This will allow for easy breathing. But make sure the blanket isn't too loose that it comes undone.

Stop swaddling your infant when he or she begins to turn over. That is normally approximately two months. At this age, some babies can turn over while being swaddled, putting them at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

How Do I Diaper My Baby?

Whether you use cloth diapers or disposable diapers, your child will dirty them approximately 10 times each day, or 70 times per week. When changing your baby's diaper:

• Have all of your materials within reach.
• Gently wipe your baby's front and back with water, cotton balls, a washcloth, or wipes.
• Apply diaper cream as needed to relieve diaper rash.
• Wash your hands after changing the diaper.

When Should I Bathe My Baby?

For the first few weeks, newborns are given sponge baths. Then, once the umbilical cord stump has fallen off and the circumcision has healed (if your baby was circumcised), they can bathe in a sink or tiny plastic infant tub.

When your infant is ready for tub bathing, the first few should be mild and brief. If your infant becomes fussy, switch back to sponge baths for a week or two before trying the tub bath again. A bath two or three times per week is adequate in the first year. More frequent bathing may dry up the baby's skin.

How Should I Care for the Umbilical Cord?

Clean around the cord stump with simple water and blot dry until the stump dries out and comes out, which normally takes 10 days to 3 weeks. Don't immerse the belly button area in water until the stump falls off and the skin heals. It is common for the cord stump to change color from yellow to brown or black before falling off. If the area is red, smells terrible, or has a discharge, see your doctor.

Caring for an Infant After Circumcision

Following a circumcision, doctors typically apply petroleum jelly to the tip of the baby's penis and wrap it with gauze to prevent the wound from sticking to the diaper. At each diaper change, carefully rinse the tip with warm water (not a baby wipe) before applying petroleum jelly and gauze. Penis redness or inflammation should resolve within a few days to a week. However, if the condition worsens or pus-filled blisters appear, contact your baby's doctor immediately. These could be symptoms of an infection.

How Frequently Should I Feed My Baby?

You may be wondering how frequently you should feed your newborn, whether by breast or bottle. Generally, babies should be fed on demand – that is, anytime they appear hungry. Your infant may indicate that they are hungry by wailing, putting fingers in their mouth, or sucking noises. Typically, an infant should be fed every 2-3 hours.

Symptoms of a contented child include frequent wetting and poops, good sleep, and consistent weight increase. Another reliable indicator of a breastfed baby's milk intake is if your breasts feel full before feeding and less full after feeding.

If you are formula-feeding, you can quickly determine whether your kid is getting enough to eat. If you are concerned about your baby's growth or feeding schedule, speak with your doctor.

Babies frequently swallow air when feeding, which can make them fussy. To help avoid this, burp your infant frequently.

What Should I Know About My Baby's Sleep?

You might be astonished to learn that infants sleep for 16 hours or longer. They normally sleep for two to four hours. Many babies sleep through the night (for 6-8 hours) by 3 months of age, but if yours does not, don't worry. Babies, like adults, have individual sleep habits and cycles.

Safe Sleep Behaviors

To reduce the risk of SIDS, always place babies on their backs when sleeping. Other safe sleep behaviors include:

• Avoid using blankets, quilts, sheepskins, bumpers, plush animals, or cushions in cribs or bassinets as these might suffocate babies. Parents should share a bedroom (but not a bed) with their kids for the first 6 months to 1 year.
• Change your baby's head position from night to night (first right, then left, etc.). This helps to keep a flat area from growing on one side of the head.

Soon, you will have a routine and be parenting like an expert. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your doctor. They can recommend resources that can help.