It’s never easy the first time
Having a baby is both thrilling and exhausting, especially for the first time. It is a moment to form ties that will last a lifetime, giving the child the intellectual abilities they need to develop self-esteem and the ability to interact successfully with others. It’s also the moment for parents to start figuring out who this new person is. Each child is exceptional, and parents must learn to recognize, accept, support, and promote their children’s features and strengths. Therefore, we bring parenting tips for your newborn baby to help you sail through parenthood.
You’ve made it through pregnancy, labour, and delivery, and you’re now ready to take your baby home and start a family. However, after you get home, you may feel as if you have no idea what you’re supposed to do.
Some things will come effortlessly to you during your initial days at home with your infant, while others may not.
The following article has been curated as a guide to help navigate you through the infant basics. The aim is to assist you in getting off to a good start. The article will take you through the best baby advice for taking care of your baby through the initial months, various developmental stages, how to take care of a fussing baby and the nutrition that your baby will require for a healthy diet.
Parenting Tips for babies in the initial months
Nursing your baby
When you’re breastfeeding your baby, you may be unsure how often to feed them. In general, newborns should be fed on demand — anytime they appear hungry. Your infant may signal you by wailing, placing his or her fingers in his or her mouth, or making sucking sounds.
- Every 3 hours, you should feed your newborn baby.
- Allow your infant to nurse for at least 15 minutes at each breast if you’re breastfeeding using formulas.
- The baby will probably drink about 60–90 millilitres per feeding.
If you’re formula-feeding, it’s simple to see if your kid is receiving enough to eat, but it’s not the same if you’re nursing.
- Your baby is probably feeding enough if he or she appears content.
- Baby has around six wet diapers each day.
- Your baby passes many stools each day.
- The baby naps well daily.
- Your baby gains weight consistently.
Immediately after feeding the infant, sit him or her up and pat his or her back until he or she burps. After feeding, avoid bouncing or moving the infant too much, as this may cause your infant to spit up.
To ensure that they get enough to feed, some infants may need to be awoken every several hours. If you need to wake your child frequently or aren’t interested in eating or sucking, contact your baby’s doctor.
Diaper etiquettes
Replace your baby’s diaper frequently and as quickly as bowel movements occur. Apply a thick layer of topical diaper rash cream after gently cleaning the region with water and mild soap (wipes might be an unpleasant use only in lack of water and soap.)
We recommend zinc oxide creams because they provide a protective layer. Allow the baby to be undisciplined for a portion of the day. It provides an opportunity for the skin to breathe. Make sure you have a fresh diaper, diaper wipes, and rash cream.
Holding a Newborn
Although many YouTube videos or well-wishers tell you about how to hold your newborn best, it is not until your child is in your hands that you genuinely understand what they need.
Sanitize
Before picking up your baby, wash your hands with gentle soap and water. Parents should also keep a hand sanitizer on hand in case of an emergency. Germs and bacteria can cause infections in the newborn from a dirty hand as their immune systems haven’t fully developed.
Get into a comfortable position
It’s very critical that you’re confident and relaxed before picking up the infant. Remove any items from your clothing that could scratch him or her.
Support the baby’s head
When carrying your infant upright or laying your infant down, cradle his or her head and support his or her neck and head.
Best baby advice for bath time
By holding your infant in this posture during bath time, you can make bath time more enjoyable for them.
Gently lower your baby into the tub, place one hand on his or her shoulder and back and the other on their buttocks.
Situate the baby in the bathtub, and wash them with the hand holding his bottom, so the other hand continues to support their head and keeps their head out of the water.
Best baby advice for sleeping positions
SIDS and SUDI are common in newborn babies due to improper sleeping postures. As a result, it’s critical to understand different sleeping postures and the risks they represent to newborns. Taking the time to understand this vital information will help to keep your baby safe and healthy.
Infants should sleep on their backs because it is the safest and most comfortable position for them. It is the most commonly recommended sleeping position for babies because it keeps the airways open and reduces the danger of asphyxia.
The baby’s mattress must be firm
Many new moms and dads make the mistake of giving their baby a soft mattress to sleep on. It must be avoided at all costs. Newborns must be placed in firm mattresses to sleep on. Cushion pads, pillows, and soft toys should not be used inside the newborns’ crib since they may accidentally cover the baby’s head.
Avoid
To make the bedding soft, avoid placing quilts and comforters on top of the mattress. It could cause the baby to sink deeper into the duvet, increasing the danger of asphyxia.
Invest in a baby monitor
It is essential for parents who can remain at home but can’t always be with their children. They can keep an eye on the infant just about anywhere in the house, thanks to the monitor.
Cognitive development of babies
During their first two years, babies grow not only physically but also cognitively. While physical growth and change may be easily witnessed and measured, cognitive development and growth are more difficult to pinpoint. As a result, most professionals know about cognitive growth from the scrutiny of early psychologists and their theories, such as Piaget’s cognitive development theory.
The best newborn baby care tips for various developmental stages
From 0-3 Months
Babies’ bodies and brains are trying to cope in the outer world throughout this stage of development. During its first three months, your baby will begin:
- Within three months, however, they will likely be smiling at you and attempting to encourage you to respond to them. They might raise their head and chest while on their stomach.
- With her eyes, she should be able to track objects.
- Open and close her hands, bringing them to her mouth.
- Grasp objects in their hands.
- Swipe at or grab for suspended objects, even though they won’t be able to get things right away.
From 4 to 6 months
- During these months, they might roll over. The back-to-front rolling frequently follows the front-to-back order.
- Babble, emitting sounds that resemble spoken discourse.
- Laugh out loud.
- They can reach out and grab stuff, watch your hair around them, as well as move toys and other items with their hands.
- Sit up straight and have excellent head control.
They’re getting the hang of using their hands. They’re also finding their voices during this stage of developmental growth of life.
From 7 to 9 Months
- Beginning to crawl.
- Sit without a backrest.
- React to words you’re familiar with, such as their name.
- Play games like hide and seek while clapping.
- Pull themself to a standing position.
From 9 to 12 Months
- Begin eating themselves.
- It walks about the room, clinging onto the furnishings
- Say a word or two, preferably mummy or daddy.
- To grab your attention, they might point at items they want.
- Start imitating you or appropriately using items, such as pretending to chat on the phone.
- Take their first steps.
How does your baby’s environment affect his or her cognitive development?
Social ties and the environment have an impact on a child’s growth. Bronfenbrenner thought that everything in a person’s surroundings influenced their growth. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological approach also contributes to a better understanding of a baby mental development.
Visual Environment:
Maintaining intense eye contact and tracking moving objects with the eyes plays a vital part in infants’ intellectual development.
Auditory Environment:
Because babies enjoy the sound of a human voice, you must converse with your infant as much as possible. Babies learn about language through listening as well.
Sensory environment (the sense of touch):
It’s critical to expose your baby to a diversity of textures. Toys with exciting textures, such as soft, fluffy, and coarse-headed stuffed animals, can be helpful to touch stimuli.
Parenting tips babies for a nutritional diet
The first two to three years of an infant’s life are critical for his or her development. Early nutrition practices assist youngsters in developing healthy eating habits.
Babies experience a growth spurt in their first year that causes them to quadruple their birth weight. As a result, to achieve that goal, they require many nutrients at various points in their lives. A healthy newborn needs a diet rich in vital calories, minerals, vitamins, and water.
Breast milk is regarded as an optimal source of nutrition for many babies, resulting in it delivering all of the required vitamins and minerals during the first year of life. The American Academy of Paediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding, followed by introducing complementary foods until the child is twelve months old or older. The babies must be breastfed eight to twelve times a day. The benefits of breastfeeding include preventing both the mother and the baby from short and long-term illnesses and diseases such as respiratory illness, obesity, type one diabetes in the newborn, carcinoma, type two polygenic disease, and high blood pressure in the mother.
Infant formula can also be a valuable option for babies whose mothers cannot breastfeed. Breastfeeding of these formulas is now made from cow milk. They are then fortified to be as similar to breast milk as feasible. They contain carbohydrates in lactose, iron, protein, minerals such as calcium, vitamins A, C, D, E, and hence B vitamins.
The following are the kind of nutrients that a newborn needs to develop and stay healthy:
- Calcium aids in the formation of strong bones and teeth.
- Fat is required for energy production.
- Iron—Construct’s blood cells and aids brain development.
- Carbohydrates and protein offer energy and fuel growth.
Babies born prematurely or with a lower birth weight require special nutrition to help them catch up on growth. Extra calories, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals, as well as other fortifiers, may be added to the milk of breastfed babies who don’t seem to be able to feed themselves will require a unique preterm formula that is higher in calories and has a lot of proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Foods to steer clear from newborn baby care
- Honey within the first year.
- Unpasteurized beverages or meals to reduce the risk of E. coli infection.
- Certain foods, such as candies, popcorn, real nuts, or grapes, might induce choking.
- Juice, because of its high sugar content before the age of one.
The takeaway
Always handle your baby as gently as possible as their bones haven’t been fully formed. Keep in mind that staying relaxed and composed before picking up your infant is critical in keeping the baby quiet and comfy throughout. Remember that each child is unique, and similarly, they might develop differently. Most of these abilities don’t appear at the designated time. If your child hasn’t reached a milestone by the month it’s listed on, it is outstanding.
