Newborn care can really be stressful. Many parents feel overwhelmed by the knowledge that their new baby boy or girl is solely dependent upon them. The key to newborn care is education. Educating yourself about what your baby will need to stay healthy and safe can take much of the stress and anxiety out of your pending birth.
Here is a general overview of the top newborn care tips.
You should be selective when choosing a pediatrician for your unborn Baby. Do not hesitate to set up an interview with prospective pediatricians. During the interview process feel free to ask any questions you may have about the doctor’s practice. What are their hours? Do they specialize in certain childhood diseases? What if your baby needs to be seen after hours?
You should install the infant car seat into your car well before you have your first contraction. This will ensure that you know how to use the car seat properly so your baby will be safe on his or her first ride in a vehicle. If you are having problems figuring out how to install the car seat you can ask a friend who is more experienced with baby equipment to help you. If no one is available, simply call your local fire department. They will send someone out to help you learn what you need to know about car seat safety.
Decide whether you will bottle or breastfeed your new baby. Some parents choose to do both. If your baby is having problems bottle feeding or having problems digesting his or her formula, go to your baby’s pediatrician with your concerns.
Once you bring your baby home it is important that you never leave him or her unattended on a changing table, bed or couch. Babies move suddenly, especially when they are startled. Part of newborn care involves making sure your baby is safe and secure at all times.
If you have a boy baby, part of newborn care will include taking special care of his circumcision. You should change your son’s diaper as soon as he soils it. This will keep his circumcision area from becoming soiled. To keep your son’s diaper from sticking to his circumcision area you should apply either petroleum jelly or an antibiotic ointment to it.
You should contact your baby’s pediatrician if you notice anything abnormal about his circumcision. This includes swelling, crusted sore, drainage, bleeding, black, blue or discolored penis, redness that lasts more than a couple of days, foul odor, dribbling or weak urine or if your baby develops a fever.
Another area of newborn care for all babies is caring for their umbilical cord stumps. You should make sure that your baby’s diaper does not tug on the umbilical cord stumps. You should never pull or tug on the stump itself. It will fall off on its own.
Some pediatricians recommend that alcohol be swabbed onto the stump during diaper changes. Some doctors simply recommend using warm water. You should talk with your baby’s pediatrician to see what he or she recommends for your baby. You should take your baby to the doctor if you notice any swelling, bulging, blood or pus around the naval. You should also take your baby to the doctor if the stump has not fallen off by the third week.
If you are preparing to have a baby, you should seriously consider enrolling in newborn care classes. These classes cover all the basics and more. After completing one or more of these classes you should be on your way to being a newborn care expert!
