Are you a new parent? Your newborn is the most precious thing in the world, and they need your care. This blog post is full of tips to help make those first 20 days with your newborn even more special.
Your baby will grow so much during these few weeks, and many changes happen day by day! Here’s everything you need to know about caring for your newborn child:
1. Women who seek help have a higher success rate
Think of ways to ensure success before you even give birth,” suggests Stacey Brosnan, a lactation consultant in New York City.
Talk with friends who had a good nursing experience, ask Baby’s pediatrician for a lactation consultant’s number, or attend a La Leche League (nursing support group) meeting (see laleche.org find one).
2. Use hospital resources
Kira Sexton, a Brooklyn, New York mom, says, “I learned everything I could about breastfeeding before I left the hospital.” Ask if there’s a nursing class or a lactation consultant on staff.
Push the nurse-call button each time you’re ready to feed the baby and ask a nurse to spot you and offer advice.
3. Prepare
At home, you’ll want to drop everything to feed the baby the moment she cries for you. But Heather O’Donnell, a mom in New York City, suggests taking care of yourself first.
“Get a glass of water and a book or magazine to read.” And, because breastfeeding can take a while, she says, “pee first!”
4. Try a warm compress
if your breasts are engorged, or you have blocked ducts. A heating pad or a warm, wet washcloth works, but a flax pillow (often sold with natural beauty products) is even better.
“Heat it in the microwave, and conform it to your breast,” says Laura Kriska, a mom in Brooklyn, New York.
5. The heat helps the milk flow
but try a cold pack if your breasts are sore after nursing. Amy Hooker, a San Diego mom, says, “A bag of frozen peas worked really well for me.”
6. If you want Baby to eventually take a bottle
introduce it after breastfeeding is established but before the 3-month mark. Many experts say 6 to 8 weeks is good, but “we started each of our kids on one bottle a day at 3 weeks,” says Jill Sizemore, a mom in Pendleton, Indiana.
7. Play tunes
Forget the dubious theory that music makes a baby more intelligent, and concentrate on the fact that it’s likely to calm him. “The Baby Einstein tapes saved us,” says Kim Rich, a mom in Anchorage, Alaska.
8.Warm things up
Alexandra Komisaruk, a mom in Los Angeles, found that diaper changes triggered a meltdown. “I made warm wipes using paper towels and a pumpable thermos of warm water,” she says.
You can also buy an electric wipe warmer for a sensitive baby.
9. You’ll need other tricks, too
“Doing deep knee bends and lunges while holding my daughter calmed her down,” says Emily Earle, a mom in Brooklyn, New York. “And the upside was, I got my legs back in shape!”
10. Soak to soothe
If all else fails—and Baby’s umbilical cord stub has fallen off—try a warm bath together. “You’ll relax, too, and a relaxed mommy can calm a baby,” says Emily Franklin, a Boston mom.
11. Let them be
Many first-time dads hesitate to get involved for fear of doing something wrong and incurring the wrath of Mom.
“Moms need to allow their husbands to make mistakes without criticizing them,” says Armin Brott, author of The New Father: A Dad’s Guide to the First Year (Abbeville Press) and.
Father of three. Your baby will be happy to have your company in the bath, and you’ll feel as if you’re finally doing something right!
12. Take time off from work
after all the relatives leave. If partners don’t get the option of parental leave through work, see if they can use vacation or sick days.
That’s what Thad Calabrese of Brooklyn, New York, did. “There was more for me to do, and I got some alone time with my son.”
13. Divvy up duties
Mark DiStefano, a dad in Los Angeles, took over the cleaning and grocery shopping. “I also took Ben for a bit each afternoon so my wife could have a little time to herself. She” is a great mom, and I wanted her to know that.”
14. Partners want to do some fun stuff, too
“I used to take my shirt off and put the baby on my chest while we napped,” says Bob Vonnegut, a dad in Islamorada, Florida. “I loved the rhythm of our hearts beating together.”
15. First, ignore unwanted or confusing advice
“In the end, you’re the parents, so you decide what’s best,” says Julie Balis, a mom in Frankfort, Illinois.
16. “Forget about housework
for the first couple of months,” says Alison Mackonochie, author of 100 Tips for a Happy Baby. “Concentrate on getting to know your baby.
If anyone has anything to say about the dust piling up or the unwashed dishes, smile and hand them a duster or the dish detergent! Your” baby will thank you for it later.”
17. But don’t give other people the small jobs
“Changing a diaper takes two minutes. You’ll need others to do time-consuming work like cooking, sweeping floors, and buying diapers,” says Catherine Park, a Cleveland mom.
18. Reconnect
To keep yourself from feeling detached from the world, Jacqueline Kelly, a mom in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, suggests: “Get outside on your own, even for five minutes.”
19. Enlist backup
Make your first journey to a prominent, public place with a veteran parent. “Having my sister with me for support kept me from becoming flustered the first time I went shopping with my newborn,” says Suzanne Zook, a mom in Denver.
20.Stash a spare
Holland Brown, a mom in Long Beach, California, always keeps a change of adult clothes in her diaper bag. “You don’t want to get stuck walking around with an adorable baby but mustard-colored poop all over you.”
Conclusion:
Your Newborn: 20 Tips for the First 20 Days Your newborn is the most precious thing in the world, and they need your care.
This blog post is full of tips to help make those first 20 days with your newborn even more special. Your baby will grow so much during these few weeks, and many changes happen day by day!
Here’s everything you need to know about caring for your newborn child. Your Newborn: 20 Tips for the First 20 Days Your newborn is the most precious thing in the world, and they need your care.
This blog post is full of tips to help make those first 20 days with your newborn even more special. Your baby will grow so much during these few weeks, and many changes happen day by day!
Here’s everything you need to know about caring for your newborn child. Your Newborn: 20 Tips for the First 20 Days Your newborn is the most precious thing in the world, and they need your care.
This blog post is full of tips to help make those first 20 days with your newborn even more special. Your baby will grow so much during these few weeks, and many changes happen day by day!
Here’s everything you need to know about caring for your newborn child.
