newborns - help and advice
What to expect when you first meet your new baby
If you are a first time expecting mother, you are not just nervous about the delivery, but about meeting your little bundle of joy for the first time. You are most likely expecting like I did that your baby would be cute, have perfect skin and a head full of hair. Well I'm here to let you know that this is not always the case. Many newborns aren't that cute ....more
Do You Know What Is Best For Your Baby?
Naturally when you have a new born baby, you want to do your best to look after them. When it comes to cleaning them, many parents use loads of products thinking that they are best for the baby ....more
Tips for preparing for your new baby
When you first find out that your wife is pregnant with your first baby, you are usually very excited. Then slowly this excitement starts to turn to anxiety and fear. Having a baby is a huge step in your life, and you need to prepare for it as much as possible before the baby arrives ....more
Brand New Parent Parenting Tips
If you go for a job interview prepared in the manner that most people are prepared for parenthood when they start with their family, you would probably never find a job. Parenting is one of the toughest jobs anyone every may have ....more
Newborn Baby's first nights at home
You have a new baby, oh what wonder and joy this little guy or gal is, however, you have not had a good night’s sleep since being home with this wonderful little creature. Don’t give up. You can help your new baby sleep all night, every night. And remember, you are certainly not alone. Sleepless nights are something common for most new parents ....more
What to expect when you first meet your new baby - by Brooke Schuman
If you are a first time expecting mother, you are not just nervous about the delivery, but about meeting your little bundle of joy for the first time. You are most likely expecting like I did that your baby would be cute, have perfect skin and a head full of hair. Well I'm here to let you know that this is not always the case. Many newborns aren't that cute.
Many babies, have a battered swollen head from going through the birth canal. Many times newborns will have random strands of hair that stick up, or a head full of unruly hair. Your newborn may also have squinty swollen eyes that your baby can barley open due to the birthing process. Your baby will have a huge head that looks way to big for it's little body and little tiny chicken legs.
Due to babies skin being thin you may be able to see babies blood vessels, and it also may appear a pale pinkish color. You may be able to see babies heart beat in the soft spot on top of babies head. Baby may have what is called a cephalohematoma, or a bruise on the top of babies head depending on how hard your labor was. Baby may also have a pointy head, especially if it was a tight squeeze for your baby. The nose may appear flat and the chin may appear a little off due to being squeezed through the pelvis.
When baby is delivered by cesarean section, the abnormalities to the head usually don't occur although it still can. Baby may still not be cute but baby won't have quite the swollen head as a baby that was delivered through the birth canal.
So I know this may all be overwhelming especially when you were expecting this cute little adorable angel of a baby, but not to worry all these little abnormalities will disappear within a couple of days, in rare instances a couple of weeks.
When my son was born his head was extremely lopsided because the frontal bones of his head were overlapping, and it appeared that he didn't have much of a chin. The nurses assured me that in a couple of days he would have a magnificent head, also his chin would be more prominent in the coming days.
So not to worry my friends your baby will be ready for those newborn photos in just a couple days. You can then show off your cute newborn baby, and get all of those oohs and ahhs that you were originally expecting when you delivered your newborn baby.
Do You Know What Is Best For Your Baby? - by Louise Forrest
Naturally when you have a new born baby, you want to do your best to look after them. When it comes to cleaning them, many parents use loads of products thinking that they are best for the baby.
However, the fact is, it is always best to use fewer products during the first year, and it is important to especially avoid products in the first few weeks of life. This allows the skin to mature naturally with out being messed around with.
Newborn Skin Care
A newborn baby is fragile, and so is its skin. They are at risk from all of the chemicals which are in shop bought products, and that is why it is essential to give the baby a good head start by not using these products at the beginning. If you simply use just water for the first month or so, you will find that it is more than sufficient and it is a lot better for baby skin
There are other ways to care for baby skin which include applying certain basic methods. An example is to always wash your hands thoroughly before carrying out any baby care. Dirty hands will pass dirt onto the baby and can cause irritation.
Baby baths need to contain just plain water, and you should wash them using cotton wool. The delicate skin will be protected against germs, chemicals and water loss, even if you do only use plain water. When caring for the hair, shampoo is not needed, but you can use a baby comb to rid the scalp of any debris. You should not wash around the eye area and if you notice any sticky patches around the eyes, nose or ears, always consult a doctor and do not attempt to clear it with cotton buds.
If you baby is premature, you should know that the skin will be even more delicate, and therefore it will take longer to mature. Also, if the baby is overdue, the skin might be dry and cracked which is generally to be expected. You should not apply creams and lotions to the area as it can cause more damage. It is just better to bathe with plain water for the first month.
The area surrounding the baby cord needs to be kept clean and dry, so to do this it really needs to be left alone. It will generally heal on its own. You may notice that a few weeks after birth, your baby may experience some minor skin conditions which usually disappear quite quickly. The reason this happens is because the baby is retaining some of your hormones. A few skin conditions that a baby can get which are easily managed include:
Newborn acne. Babies sometimes develop a harmless case of acne on their face, and this is caused because of the hormones being passed from the mother to the baby.
A heat rash often occurs because the sweat glands are still developing and often become blocked, and because of this red bumps can appear all over the body.
Nappy rash. It does not matter how well you change the nappy and how good you are with cleanliness, nappy rash will probably still rear its ugly head at some stage. It is generally caused due to the ammonia which is in the urine. There are over the counter creams which you can apply that can help to relieve mild to moderate cases. Another effective method is to try petroleum jelly which often helps by forming a barrier on the skin.
Impetigo: This is very contagious and you will usually notice either a yellow sore or it could occur as lots of sores all over the body, but mainly they appear around the mouth, nose and nappy area.
Hives: If there is a rash characterized by loads of red blotches that have a light colored center, this may well be hives. The most common reason for hives in babies is down to a virus.
If your baby has any of the above conditions, see your doctor immediately. They will be able to help you treat them as soon as possible.
Tips for preparing for your new baby - by Gabriel J Adams
When you first find out that your wife is pregnant with your first baby, you are usually very excited. Then slowly this excitement starts to turn to anxiety and fear. Having a baby is a huge step in your life, and you need to prepare for it as much as possible before the baby arrives. Once the baby is here, you will be amazed at the lack of time you have for anything except taking care of the baby. Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your baby’s arrival.
The first thing that you need to do is to set a doctor’s appointment to get tested to make sure that your wife is definitely pregnant. The home pregnancy tests are usually very accurate, but the test at the doctor’s office is almost perfect. Your wife needs to start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as possible to make sure that your baby is getting enough of the right nutrients. After visiting the doctor to make sure mom and baby have all that they need to be healthy, it is time to start working on your house.
Make sure that you have the nursery ready before the baby is born. If you find out the sex of the child before birth, then you can completely have the nursery decorated before the child arrives. If you do not want to know the sex of the baby, then you can use neutral colors, so that it will not matter what the sex of the baby is. Either way, make sure that the nursery is ready for your new baby, because you will not have anytime after the baby is born to work on it.
Another way to prepare for your new baby is to read as many magazines and books as you can. Also talk to as many parents as you know to help prepare yourself for your baby’s arrival. Nothing will fully prepare you for your baby’s care, but this knowledge will get you out of some trying situations. Once you are prepared try to relax and take it one day at a time, because at first it will be a struggle.
Brand New Parent Parenting Tips - by Mary Loewen
If you go for a job interview prepared in the manner that most people are prepared for parenthood when they start with their family, you would probably never find a job. Parenting is one of the toughest jobs anyone every may have. Observing their parents and doing reading, mostly in magazines, are the primary training that people have for this solemn task. Some limited courses in parenting are available through high schools and colleges. To give scholars an idea of what it takes to care for a baby, they let the students carry around an egg for several days. However, caring for an infant child involves much more than just preventing the exterior from suffering any damage. Nurturing the emotional and spiritual needs of the child takes far more effort than catering for the basic needs for staying alive.
One of the primary tips for parenting is to keep your cool and not to panic. It is actually a surprisingly practical parenting tip. Children model their parents and they respond in kind to the environment that surrounds them. A calm and peaceful parent will induce calm and peacefulness with the child.
For the new parent, the advice and help of a more experienced parent is always invaluable. One can get some of the best parenting tips from your grandmother, if you are so blessed to still have your grandmother with you. New parents need to be ready to accept this help. If the grandparents are not available, other support can be found from a neighbor or perhaps an older person in ones church. There are hospitals that provide lists of people who are willing to act as volunteer "grandparents" that will help new parents.
Parenting Tips for the Future
One of the most important things to realize as a new parent is that your child is not going to be perfect in its behavior. The child is a human being who is going to make mistakes. The role of the parent is to guide the child to avoid dangerous mistakes, and to learn from their other benign mistakes. This commences with teaching a child the stove is hot and continues into their adulthood with career and family decisions. It is in the nature of small children, after being told that the stove is hot, to reach up and touch it. As a parent, be ready with cold water for the burn and then reinforce the teaching.
Natural responses from the child should never be met with rebuke. A parent just needs to begin to teach the child that a parent has instruction which is valid for life. Good instruction early one during a child's life, in a manner that instills respect for the parent, just might be helpful in later years when the parent warns against more dangerous things such as drugs, alcohol, and premarital sex. No one enjoys burning a hand and the child will want to prevent further pain.
Newborn Baby's first nights at home - by Connie Limon
You have a new baby, oh what wonder and joy this little guy or gal is, however, you have not had a good night’s sleep since being home with this wonderful little creature. Don’t give up. You can help your new baby sleep all night, every night. And remember, you are certainly not alone. Sleepless nights are something common for most new parents.
Newborn babies often sleep 16 or more hours per day. Their sleep time, however, is often done in stretches of just one to two hours at a time. As your baby’s nervous system matures a more consistent sleep schedule emerges and he or she can go longer between feedings.
By the time your new baby reaches three months of age he or she will probably be sleeping for as long as five hours during the night. At six months of age, nighttime stretches of nine to 12 hours are most likely.
Look over the following tips to help your baby become a good sleeper:
• Encourage activity during the day: During the waking hours with your baby keep him or her busy by talking, singing and playing. Provide your baby with lots of light. This type of stimulation during the day can help promote better sleep at night.
• Monitor your baby’s naps: Allow your baby regular naps during the day and not large chunks of time that may cause your baby to stay wide awake at night.
• Follow a consistent bedtime routine: If you bath, cuddle, sing or read to your baby just before bedtime he or she will soon associate these activities with sleep.
• Put your baby to bed drowsy but awake: This technique helps your baby associate bed with the process of falling asleep. Place your baby to sleep on his or her back. Clear the crib or bassinet of blankets and other soft items.
• Give your baby time to settle down: If your baby fusses when you first put him to bed, allow him or her to find a comfortable position for falling asleep. If the crying does not stop within a reasonable amount of time, try speaking calmly to your baby and stroke his or her back to provide reassurance of your presence.
• Consider using a pacifier: If your baby has trouble settling down, try using a pacifier at nap time and bedtime to help reduce his anxiety. One problem of using a pacifier might be if he or she loses during the middle of the night and cries for its replacement. Guess who has to get up in the middle of the night to find the pacifier for baby?
• Expect frequent stirring at night: Don’t be alarmed if you hear your baby squirming and wriggle as they sleep. This is quite normal. Some babies can be noisy. All these things may simply be a sign of settling down. Unless you suspect your baby is hungry or uncomfortable (needing a diaper change or whatever), it is OK to wait a few minutes to see if he or she finally settles down. If not, then better check on baby.
• Keep nighttime care low-key: When you feed your baby or care for he or she during the night, use dim lights, a soft voice and very calm movements. This will teach your baby that it is time to sleep and nothing else.
Some babies sleep throughout the night the first night home. I know my baby slept through the night straight from the beginning of our nights at home. She was such a good baby I would always say.
However, not all babies are alike; respect your baby’s preferences. Take time to understand your baby’s schedule and ways of communicating. They will eventually settle down and sleep the whole night through. If your baby is still fussy at nighttime by age 6 months, ask your baby’s doctor for instruction and suggestions.
The goal here is for everyone to get a good night’s sleep. It is not a measure of your parental skill or a sign of a good or bad baby. I just always thought my baby was the absolute best at everything, and sleeping throughout the night was just one more reason I thought she was “perfect.” She has paid me back though as an adult, and what I got to say about her now is not the same…..At times I ask myself is this the same person I use to know as a baby, toddler and child?
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