So now you have those tiny new feet walking into your life. While being a parent is a very happy and fulfillng experience it also attaches a big responsibility on you. That is why it is always better to be fully aware of all the issues and aspects that cover newborn child care.
Let us start with bathing the child. A baby should be given a massage regularly before a bath. This helps in developing a bonding between mother and child. It also strengthens the baby’s muscles and will be a good base when the baby learns to crawl and walk. You will find a lot of information on the internet about good child care massage techniques.
Remember that the baby is prone to a lot of infection near the navel till the umbilical cord falls off. Be very careful around that area and till it falls of give the baby a sponge bath. Some antiseptic cream can also be applied around that area. Tie the diaper below this area.
Another decision that you need to take with your new born is whether you need to circumcise your baby boy or not. Though with some people it is a religious necessity, but it also helps to avoid urinary infections. The foreskin of the penis is removed in this process. Try and do it as early as possible.
Vaccinations are the most important thing you must be aware of. Get your vaccination chart as soon as you leave the hospital and regularly from time to time take your baby to the pediatric for vaccines.
Another child care decision that you have to make is whether you should breastfeed your baby or formula. Though there is no doubt that there is nothing like breast milk it is always a good idea to give the baby one feed of formula in a day. This will get the baby used to outside milk just incase you are not able to feed the baby. Always feed the baby in an upright position and always burp the baby after a feed.
You could use a cloth diaper for your baby or a regular diaper. There are factors like cost that can help you make a decision on this. If you decide to use a cloth diaper you would need to tie a plastic on top of the cloth diaper because if the baby pees he is likely to wet all his clothes as well. Cloth diapers are economical but they need to be changed very often and require labor to be washed regularly.
Another problem that mothers face is baby’s spitting up. The baby takes in a little air with his milk and when the air comes out so does the milk. All you have to do is keep the baby upright while feeding and burp him after a feed. Also don’t try and overfeed the baby. Less food at frequent intervals is better.
There are some other common problems that the baby faces like acid reflux, colic and thrush. You could visit http://www.easyninemonths.com/thrush.htm for information on this.
Try and make your baby feel as comfortable as possible. Cut the tags at the back of the shirt, which could irritate your child. A baby communicates by crying and soon a mother should connect with the baby and understand why she is crying. With knowledge and love child care can be a very fun and rewarding experience
This article and many like these are available on the website http://www.easyninemonths.com, which has excellent resources on pregnancy and newborn baby care.
