Bringing your newborn home from the hospital for the first time is exciting. You're the proud mother of that cute baby girl or baby boy so happy and excited yet there's a little fear as to what to do. This is your first baby so everything is new to you. You're feeling anxious because you're really not sure what to do or how to take care of your baby by yourself. Every new mother goes through these emotions.
Hopefully you and your doctor has been talking about at least the basics on what to do and you've been reading some books on how to take care of your newborn baby. Having done this before hand and taking some notes will really boost your confidence because you will at least have an idea of the things that you should be aware of. You are now a mother and your baby is depending on you for everything.
Well the two most important things that you should put your focus on for the first couple weeks besides knowing the basics of changing diapers, sponge baths, and other grooming needs are feeding your baby and sleeping issues. They both sound like normal everyday tasks, but breast feeding a new born baby for a new mother can be a challenge in the beginning. Sleeping issues for a newborn, the more you learn about them the scarier it gets, well in the beginning at least, till you get used to it.
Breast feeding your newborn is highly recommended as the best whenever possible. Your breast milk is perfectly formulated for your baby and really is better than any thing on the market. If you feed your baby ready to feed formula make sure you don't dilute it with water. This may cut down on the calories your baby needs for proper development. Concentrated formula is another thing. It should be mixed with water in a 1 to 1 ratio. Usually the feeding time for your baby is 2 to 3 hour intervals.
A baby with adequate nourishment will wet her diaper during the 2 to 3 hour interval. The color of the urine should be clear. Her stool should be yellow in color and soft. A breast fed baby will pass stools about 6 times a day where as bottle-fed babies may pass only every three days. You also have to be aware of symptoms of diarrhea, frequent vomiting, constipation or rashes which would usually means the formula should be changed or at least looked into. These are some reasons why breast feeding is superior to baby formula.
Normally new born babies need sleep of 10 to 23 hours a day. Anything less is not good for your baby's development and should be looked into. To help your baby get the essential amount of sleep time make sure that she is feed. Make sure she has a clean diaper and is burped. Wrap your baby securely to keep her warn and to prevent excessive movements which can disturb her sleep.
Sleeping position for a new born baby has been researched and studies have found a link between sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and babies who sleep on their stomachs (in the prone position). They say that side sleeping has an even higher risk of SIDS than back sleeping. So the experts now agree that placing your baby in a supine position, on her back, is the safest position.
At first glance putting your baby to bed sounds easy but really there are a bunch of things to think about like too soft bedding, too small, soft stuffed animals, loose clothing and even pillows. You might also worry about your baby shifting positions during her sleep. A baby monitor or baby webcam can give you peace of mind while away from your baby's room like in the kitchen or hanging out the wash. It won't prevent SIDS but it allows you to keep an eye on your baby as she sleeps. There are monitors that check to see if your baby is breathing and will alert you if no breathing is noticed. You can even listen to your baby as she sleeps if you choose.
Feeding and sleeping are the first two things to focus on until it gets to be routine for your baby and you. It' will probably take about a couple weeks to get used to these things and then you can start focusing on the next steps. If you have any questions be sure to check with your doctor. Congratulations.
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