What To Do After The Birth Of A Newborn?

The most special moment of becoming a parent is the moment when your baby is born. Yes, the first day of your baby’s life is one of the most exciting moments for any parent. Yet, it can be exhausting and overwhelming.

As a new mum, you will have questions and doubts about how to handle your  delicate newborn.

 Here are some tips that can help you take care of your newborn better.

Ways To Handle A Newborn

Consider these points to handle your newborn-

• Provide support to your baby’s neck and head. When carrying your baby, cradle the head when carrying or laying your baby down.

• Before handling your baby, wash your hands. You can use a hand sanitiser when hand washing is not possible. Newborns are at risk for infection as their immune system is not strong yet. Ensure that anyone handling your baby has washed or sanitised their hands.

• Do not shake your newborn as it can cause bleeding in the brain which can sometimes lead to death. Blow gently on a cheek or tickle your baby’s feet gently if you need to wake up your newborn.

• Do not throw your newborn in the air as they are not ready for any form of rough play.

• While travelling, ensure that your baby is safely fastened into the car seat. Also, when you take them for a walk tie them up to the stroller.

Building a Bond with your Baby

The physical closeness with your newborn can help to build an emotional connection. This connection helps in physical development as well as bonding with your newborn.

Cradle your baby to build a bond and stroke them gently in different ways. Hold your newborn against your own skin while feeding them.

Another way to bond with your baby is by giving them a massage. Premature babies or babies with medical conditions might respond to infant massage. Massage improves the bonding while helping the infant grow and develop. 

You can try talking, babbling, and singing to get their attention as babies love these sounds. Some babies also love listening to music. Musical toys and rattles also help stimulate your baby’s hearing capacity.

Some babies might sleep less and are more sensitive to sound, touch, light and cry easily. Keep noise and light levels low to keep them comfortable.

Another way to soothe your newborn is by swaddling them well which works great for some babies during their first few weeks. It allows for some movement of the baby’s legs and baby’s arms.

Swaddling helps to limit the startle reflex, which can wake up a baby. Furthermore, the baby feels safe and comfortable.

Diapering Your Baby

Your newborn will normally soil about 10 diapers a day. So keep enough stock of them whether you use cloth or disposable diapers. 

Here’s what you need to know before using the first diaper on your baby

• Use a clean diaper
• When using prefold diapers, you will need fasteners 
• Keep a diaper ointment handy as diaper rashes are common among babies
• Use diaper wipes or take some washcloth or cotton balls and dip them in warm water to use
  

Here’s what you can do to heal the diaper rash:

• Change your baby’s diaper frequently. Try changing them at the earliest after their bowel movements.
• Use mild soap and water to gently clean the area. Sometimes wipes can be irritating on your baby’s skin so try a mix of both rather than just using wipes.  Apply a thick layer of diaper rash cream preferably the ones with zinc oxide as they build a moisture barrier.
• Wash the cloth diapers using fragrance-free detergents
• Let the baby’s diaper area air out for a while by letting them stay free from diapers for some time during the day.
• In case the baby’s diaper rash does not go away within three days, consult a doctor as it may be caused by a fungal infection

How to Bathe Your Baby

Give your baby a sponge bath until the umbilical cord falls off and the navel heals totally. This usually happens within 1-4 weeks of birth. Circumcisions take about 1-2 weeks time to heal and during this time period too, you should give your baby a sponge bath.

In the first year, bathe your baby about two or three times a week as the baby’s skin can become dry due to frequent bathing.

Have these items ready before bathing your baby:

• A soft, clean washcloth
• Mild, unscented baby soap and shampoo
• A soft brush to stimulate the baby’s scalp
• Towels or blankets
• A clean diaper
• Clean clothes

Lay the baby on a safe flat surface in a warm room for giving a sponge bath. Fill a Take a washcloth to wipe your baby’s eyes starting from the inner corner to the outer corner of each eye respectively. Clean the nose and ears too and finish off by washing the baby’s face with a gentle soap.

After that use mild baby shampoo, to gently wash the baby’s head and rinse. Pat dry the baby’s body with a soft clean towel and then dress your baby. Do not forget the diaper. 

When it comes to tub baths, do not fill the tub more than 2-3 inches and do not leave your baby unattended. You can take a baby tub and place it at a warm temperature. However, avoid using hot water; only use warm water. 

Ask for Help

You do not know everything and at times it might be difficult to manage taking care of the baby at times. Do not hesitate to ask for help from your experienced family members. However, do not take the risk to do anything without having knowledge about it.

Talk to medical experts when in doubt. If needed, you can also hire a baby nurse to take care of your baby.

Umbilical Cord Care

Taking care of the umbilical cord in newborns is crucial. Your doctor might recommend that you swab the cord area using rubbing alcohol until it dries up and falls off. This usually happens within 10 days to 3 weeks.

However, consult your doctor before applying the rubbing alcohol as some doctors suggest leaving the area as it is.

Breastfeeding Your Baby

Newborns tend to be fed once every 2-4 hours. Also, every new mother has a different breastfeeding experience that can only be learned with time. While some babies are easy to feed, others bring multiple concerns like engorgement, latching issues, blocked ducts and even mastitis. 

Talk to experts or experienced family members and friends to know how to help your baby latch on properly.  There are several breastfeeding positions that can work for your baby and you can also find solutions to relieve engorgement. Learning these ways can make the breastfeeding process easier and increase the milk supply. 

Use a warming pad on your breasts lightly if you have blocked ducts or swollen breasts. Massage your breasts gently after that to relieve pain and ease the flow of the milk.  

Sleeping Habits of Newborns

Do not be surprised, as many newborns sleep for about 16 hours or more. Their sleep period normally lasts for about 2–4 hours. Your baby’s digestive system is so small that they need to be fed throughout the night. Gently awaken your baby if they haven’t been fed for 4 hours or more to feed them.

You will learn a lot on your journey as new parents. It might get overwhelming so do not forget to take care of yourself as well.