Newborn baby – concerns, breastfeeding, care, grooming

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The arrival of a newborn at home is often a real revolution in the lives of young parents. The arrival of a baby in the world is a very anticipated moment, but it is also associated with anxiety, loss and fatigue. Parents are especially worried about his health and development. What is worth knowing about a newborn baby?

A newborn baby needs attention. Young parents are often unsure whether they are looking after their children in the right way. Fortunately, caring for a newborn baby can be learned. Fatigue is also natural. So remember that every young parent has similar problems and we are not alone with our doubts.

Newborn baby – physical development

In the first days after birth, a newborn baby gets used to the tight space in the mother’s womb. His limbs begin to relax, and the shapeless head takes on a rounded shape. The newborn also loses swelling and redness on the skin.

The smell of a newborn develops so quickly that in the first days of life it begins to smell the mother. Soon he recognizes her voice as well. The eyesight of a newborn baby is still poor in the first month of life. Toddler can recognize movement but cannot see exact shapes or colors.

The newborn also develops body motor skills. At the end of the first month of life, she can lift her head while lying on her back, or tilt it sideways beyond the body axis. The newborn’s hands also relax, the grip becomes more and more relaxed, although still automatic. A newborn baby is able to hold objects in his hands.

3-4 weeks after birth, the newborn begins to grimace resembling a smile. However, these are not conscious facial movements. In addition, his speech apparatus is slowly developing. Begins to articulate sounds other than crying.

Until when is a newborn baby and when does it become an infant? Approximately such a change can be talked about after the child turns 1 month of age.

Young mothers are often worried about their baby’s proper development. Newborns are often compared to each other, but it should be remembered that if something bothers us, it is best to go to the pediatrician, because each child develops in its own rhythm.

If we want to check if our newborn is developing properly, you can also look at various guides. It is also worth writing down questions, our observations and everything that worried us, thanks to which we will not miss anything.

Read more: Infant development – the course of what happens in the following months

Newborn baby – breastfeeding

Breastfeeding your newborn baby can be very painful. Unfortunately, it may take a while for your nipples to get used to your suckling. Appropriate creams and ointments will help soothe irritation.

Feeding has many benefits for the mother, for example, breastfeeding women suffer less from breast cancer, lose weight more easily after pregnancy and regulate the hormonal balance more quickly. When feeding your newborn baby, you should drink more, especially just before feeding.

Also read: Breastfeeding is safe for women after breast cancer therapy

How to properly feed a newborn baby?

The right attitude helps in breastfeeding, which will make it easier to learn to feed. Many young mothers wonder how to feed a newborn baby. Although it seems natural, it is worth learning the correct technique to avoid pain, abrasions and frustration for your baby.

1. Getting a newborn baby You should start by taking a comfortable position in the armchair and placing a cushion under the arm on which the baby’s head will rest.
2. The next step is to arrange the newborn. His body should face his mother and his head and torso should be in line.
3. Then move on to the appropriate breast grip. You need to pinch it on the surface of the skin, above the nipple, with four fingers from below and thumb from above. Gently pressing your thumb on the breast will allow you to adjust the position of the nipple.
4. The newborn’s nose should be level with the nipple and the chin should be close to the breast. In this position, the nipple should be gently stroked over the baby’s upper lip so as to trigger an impulse to grasp.
5. When the newborn opens its mouth, bring its mouth to the breast.

Signals of the correct latching on of the newborn are: the baby’s mouth is wide and the entire nipple is covered with the areola, the sound of the newborn swallowing food regularly and no pain in the breast. It is important to completely empty your breasts regularly, otherwise painful stagnation may occur.

How often do you latch a newborn to the breast? Whenever I send signals to my child to do so. WHO recommends that you feed babies on demand for as long as possible (until they are two years old).

See also: Breastfeeding shells – a must for every breastfeeding mother

Newborn baby at home – what is needed?

Due to its still limited perceptual abilities, the newborn needs conditions that will not provide him with too many stimuli at once. Therefore, when he arrives at home, make sure that:

1. the rooms were aired, and the air temperature was around 22 degrees C,
2. not too much light reached the room where the newborn is staying – the best option will be to use day-night roller blinds or semi-transparent curtains, as well as dim artificial light from lamps and wall lamps instead of overhead lighting,
3. there was relative silence in the house.

Newborn at home and guests are already visiting? Better to decline politely. A baby that is just a few days old needs peace. A mixture of new fragrances and voices or foreign faces moving in front of the eyes can irritate the baby unnecessarily.

In the first weeks of life, a newborn baby learns to see shapes and colors. It also distinguishes sizes and sounds, so it is worth making sure that its surroundings are colorful and provide him with many stimuli. In the fourth week, the newborn makes eye contact with the parent. After 4 weeks of age, the baby also starts smiling. It’s worth making faces and imitating his facial expressions.

Find out more: Layette for the newborn baby

Newborn baby – concerns

Young mothers face many problems related to the newborn. The most common ones concern the basic functions of life – eating, sleeping and excreting. What to do when:

1. the newborn does not want to sleep

There may be several reasons for this. The newborn baby may be hungry or experience some discomfort in the crib. The problem with falling asleep may also result from too high temperature in the room (or too thick clothes), a stuffy nose, a full diaper or the desire to contact mum. If these reasons turn out to be wrong, it makes sense to take into account various ailments – abdominal pain and constipation, the onset of infection, etc.

1. the newborn does not want to eat

Feeding a newborn baby is on demand and is not always regular. It is true that intervals every 2-3 hours are the norm, but it is possible that a baby becomes worthy only some time later. Also, your newborn baby may feel tired and take a nap for longer than usual. If the baby refuses to suckle while being placed in the breast, an appropriate feeding technique should be used. However, it is best to discuss any serious concerns with a pediatrician.

1. the baby does not poop

Not having poop on a newborn baby does not necessarily mean problems. It is possible that a small organism absorbs most of the substances provided in food. In this situation, the baby’s behavior is normal and the tummy is soft. However, constipation can come into play when this becomes hard and the newborn is constantly whining. However, any doubts should be resolved by a visit to the doctor and weighing the child. Parents should pay much more attention to the baby’s urination frequency than the poop. 5 or 6 diaper changes are the norm.

Newborn baby – care

Caring for a newborn baby is very demanding. Although many people deny it, it is very important for a newborn to be carried in the arms, hugged and rocked. In this simple way we can accelerate the physical, mental and mental development of a newborn baby.

A newborn baby should not cry for a long time because it loses its sense of security. He learns that his call goes unanswered. That is why it is worth taking care of the needs of newborns. Such children grow up to be trusting people and open to others.

When it comes to newborn’s clothes, they should be comfortable and skin-friendly. It is worth investing in clothes that allow easy donning – clowns and bodysuits with clips from the neckline to the feet. The dressing process will also be less strenuous for the newborn.

Wrapping is also an important aspect of caring for a newborn baby. The newborn baby is used to the membrane around him in his mother’s womb. It gives him a sense of security. To improve the well-being of the newborn, it is worth wrapping it gently with a soft blanket.

A newborn baby should sleep without a duvet and pillow. His small body, with the right clothes and room temperature, is good at keeping warm. On the other hand, the accidental, inappropriate positioning of his body in contact with the duvet or pillow may make it difficult for him to breathe.

Contrary to popular belief, it is also worth emphasizing that a newborn baby does not have to be at home in a hat. However, putting on a hat is justified when you move your baby from a heated bathroom to a ventilated room after a bath.

Newborn baby – care

Baby care is very important. Before we start doing it, however, it is worth preparing everything first, so that you have all the cosmetics at hand. The room should be at the right temperature. Care includes bathing and hygiene of sensitive areas.

Bathing a newborn baby in a bathtub should take place every one or two days to maintain the baby’s hygiene and health. However, when there are no conditions or time for a standard newborn bath, arrange dry bath of a newborn baby. The idea is to put the baby on the changing table, on a towel and then gently wipe its skin with hygienic cotton buds or a washcloth soaked in water. The head of a newborn baby can be washed with soap and rinsed with a washcloth. You should especially thoroughly wash any folds on the body of the newborn to avoid chafing. Then apply a baby lotion to the skin.

It is equally important and requires care care of the reproductive organs of a newborn, quite difficult at first, especially in the case of boys. It should always take place during bathing and every nappy change. It is important that in the event of pooping, the remains of the stool should be removed thoroughly and the diaper itself should be changed at least every 3 hours. The intimate area of ​​the newborn should be thoroughly dried, and even small redness should be smeared with a soothing cream.

During the hygiene of the genital organs of newborn boys, it is important to gently tilt the foreskin to expose and wash the urethra, and to thoroughly wash the skin under the scrotum and penis. On the other hand, in a newborn girl, remember to wash the private parts from the front towards the anus, slightly tilting the labia. In both cases, a cotton ball with clean water is enough.

What about care of the newborn’s navel? Although it is said that it is enough to wash it with a cotton swab with water, caring for the navel area should be a bit more careful. It is necessary to wash the umbilical cord stump with an antiseptic (e.g. octenisept) on a sterile gauze pad every day. You should definitely give up washing the newborn’s navel with iodine, ethylene alcohol or gentian violet.

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