A step-by-step guide for first-time parents

Childbirth is one of the greatest miracles of life. It can be dramatic, euphoric, stressful, joyful and also life-changing.With every baby’s birth, a new parent is also born. Newborn care can be pretty challenging sometimes. Here are some baby care tips for first-time parents.

Ø Handling a newborn:

l Practice a strict hand hygiene routine.
l After diaper change do wash your hands properly.
l Whenever you are carrying your baby, support the baby’s head and neck as newborns are unable to hold the neck on their own.
l In the process of calming never shake your baby rigorously as it can result in serious brain injury.

Ø Keep your baby warm:

l Cover your baby with one extra layer of clothing along with a cap, socks and mittens.
l Maintaining adequate room temperature is also equally important. Ensure that the room is not too cold. The ideal room temperature is around 27 C.

Ø Feeding :

Breastfeeding is the best feeding for your baby.
l It is recommended that babies be fed by demand whenever they are hungry.  Some newborns may need to be awakened every few hours to make sure they get enough feed.
l Try not to exceed 3 hours gap between the feeds at least in the initial days till you understand your baby’s hunger pattern.

l Don’t wait to feed till the baby becomes restless and cries for feed.
l Babies show subtle hunger cues of feeding such as baby turning their head to search for breast, moving fists to mouth, sucking on hands, and opening and closing the mouth. Understanding these hunger cues can be vital for new parents.

Ø Burping:

l Babies swallow a lot of air while taking feeds. This air gets accumulated in the stomach and causes discomfort. So, burping the baby is important after feeding. Gently pat the baby’s back at least for 10 minutes. Most of the time by doing so they take a burp but do not panic if your baby doesn’t give a burp, it is normal to do so.

Ø Bathing :

l Do not bathe your baby till the umbilical cord falls off.
l Daily sponging with luke warm water is sufficient to clean the baby.
l After the umbilical cord falls daily bathing can be done and once a week hair wash is enough.

l Avoid doing vigorous massage to the baby. Gentle oil massage to the baby is advised that too preferably by the mother. Coconut oil and olive oil can be used for massage. Avoid irritant oils like mustard oil.

Ø Umbilical cord care:

l The umbilical cord usually falls off and the navel heals in 7 to 10 days. Always keep the cord area dry. Once the cord falls clean the area with wet cotton. Do not apply powder, oil or any cosmetic creams to the umbilical cord area.

l If you see any discharge from the umbilicus then you can use an antiseptic cream prescribed by your doctor, but regular use of antiseptic cream is not recommended.

Ø Sleep:

l Newborns spend most of their time sleeping. They sleep up to 16 to 20 hours per day. Don’t expect the baby to sleep through the night – the digestive system of babies is so small that they need to be fed every few hours. Make sure that your baby is lying in a supine position on a firm mattress with no pillows. Dimming the lights and soothing music helps in better sleep.

Ø Watch for Jaundice:

l Neonatal jaundice is a yellow discolouration of the eyes and skin. Jaundice in the newborn period is common and harmless most of the time. Babies have extra haemoglobin compared to adults. This extra haemoglobin breaks down from a yellow pigment called bilirubin which gives the yellow colour to the baby’s skin and eyes. The baby’s liver helps in the excretion of this bilirubin into a stool. Most of the time jaundice will subside without requiring treatment in a week or so. But if you see that your baby’s yellow discolouration is becoming deep do visit your paediatrician.

Ø Protect your baby from infections:

l Newborn babies have low immunity hence they are prone to get more infections. Any family member who is sick or has any infections like a cold, cough or fever should stay away from the newborn. Limit your visitors, avoid gatherings and family ritual functions.

Ø Follow up with doctor:

l Keeping in regular touch with your paediatrician is important. The doctor will assess your baby’s growth during the visits. Never miss the vaccination visits. Do not use over-the-counter medication without a doctor’s prescription.

(The writer, Dr. Sudha Boda, is the senior consultant neonatologist at Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad)