My baby is here! What should I do now?
Week 1
You
have a brand new baby. Now what? Here is some help in getting to know your
little one.
Newborns
sleep, eat and poop/pee. Sometimes they make strange sounds and movements and
breathe irregularly. Don't worry, most of them are normal.
Here
are some sounds your baby may be making:
- Crying. This is how newborns communicate. Cries can mean, "I'm hungry," "I have a wet diaper," "I am tired," or "I want to be held." You'll learn your baby's cries and how to respond to them.
- Babies burp from swallowing air during feedings. They also hiccup, sneeze, grunt, and squeak.
- Newborns can pause between breaths, breathe rapidly and then normally for intermittent periods. Short pauses are okay.
Some
of these movements are also normal:
- They curl up, just like they did in the womb.
- They throw out their arms and legs in a startle reflex.
- They curl their toes when you tickle the bottom of their foot.
- They also have tremor-type movements when stretching. You may encounter this when changing a diaper.
Your child's development this week
Most
new mothers stay in the hospital for several days after giving birth. Use this
time to recover and rest; you will be very busy when you get home! Here the
pediatrician will examine your child to make sure he is in good health. Ask the
hospital if you have or notice any problems before you go home.
What
to look for when bringing a baby home:
- Newborns should eat eight to twelve times a day.
- You can tell they are eating a lot when they spend 10-15 minutes at each breast actively sucking and swallowing, or they drink 60-90 ml of formula at each feeding.
- Even those who eat a lot can lose up to one tenth of their birth weight in the first 5 days of life. Don't worry, they will be back on the 10th day. Babies who fall asleep or turn away from the bottle or breast while breastfeeding may lose even more weight. If this starts happening before your baby is back to birth weight, discuss it with your pediatrician. Once children gain weight, falling asleep or turning away usually means they are full.
- You should change at least four wet diapers a day and one or more poop diapers.
- If you are breastfeeding, your baby's stool is a mustard-colored porridge. Feces from bottle-fed yellow or beige. It can also sound shabby.
- Newborns sleep 16-17 hours a day, and in the first 2 weeks after birth, they can sleep for hours. Remember to wake your baby up during the day to feed him, and don't allow more than 3 hours between feedings.
Tips of the week 1
- Caring for a newborn is exhausting! Seek help from family members as well. You can also train yourself to take a nap when your baby is sleeping.
- Newborns should sleep on their backs in their own crib or bassinet. Do not put pillows, crib rails or wedges, toys, or soft linens with them.
- Did you have a caesarean section? Don't take it to heart. Have someone help you carry and change your baby.
- Your baby still lacks the comfort and warmth of the uterus. Wrap them in a blanket and hold them in your arms to make them feel protected and safe.
- In a newborn, the baby's internal "thermostat" is still not working very well. Put them on one layer more than you would wear.
- Your baby's skin is delicate. Change a dirty diaper immediately and thoroughly wipe her bottom with a warm, damp cloth and pat dry to prevent diaper rash. Save the scented baby wipes and bubble bath for when they get older.
- If your baby was born prematurely, ask the hospital if you can do skin-to-skin kangaroo care to help you bond with your baby.
- Skin-to-skin contact facilitates bonding for all children. Talk and sing with the baby, look into his eyes and smile.
- Burp your baby after every 60-90 ml of a bottle or when changing breasts. Then burp them again when the feeding is over.
- Your baby's umbilical cord will dry up and fall off in about 10-14 days. Until then, keep it clean and fold the diaper to keep the area dry. Don't bathe them until he falls. Check with your pediatrician if you are concerned about redness, pus, bad breath, or irritability.