30 tips for novice parents

30 tips for novice parents (Part 1)

Understanding a newborn takes time. About four months from now we parents will know how to handle our baby with ease but, in the meantime, we can't help. Here we leave some advice for you to be guided.

7 minutes of reading
You have to know if you are hungry or just want your pacifier if the posture is uncomfortable or simply not sleepy ... At first, it is not easy to understand the newborn. That is why this report was born, prepared with the advice of our experts and the experience of writing 'Be Parents' and its readers.

Baby feeding
1. Newborns have a very small stomach, therefore the amount of milk that fits them is also small. The intervals between the shots should be as required by your body. All pediatricians recommend breastfeeding on demand (except for exceptions due to illness).

2. Many babies regurgitate after breastfeeding or bottle feeding. It is normal. There is no reason to worry, it is not usually a lot. As a rule, they only pour the milk they have had too much.

3. Sometimes, the child is not satisfied after breastfeeding for a long time. This can happen because it does not suck well: if you suck only the nipple will not take out much. We must ensure that the areola of the chest is also inside your mouth.

4. If they have twins, it is very normal that at first, they cry more than other babies when they are hungry, since they have to wait their turn. We can place each in one chest, both at the same time and in the next shot, exchange them. If they take a bottle, we put them in front, on a cushion and give it to them at the same time.

5. Ideally, each twin has its own pace of food, that is when they ask for it. If your brother keeps sleeping, we will leave him until he wakes up. Little by little they will be approaching schedules.

6. There are babies who fall asleep suckling. They probably were not very hungry or were still half asleep. In this case, simply move the nipple a little so that they wake up and continue sucking.

7. If we do not breastfeed, newborns have to learn to drink the bottle. The best thing is that at the beginning it is always the same person who gives it because we each have a different way of giving it. Some babies get baffled easily.

8. It is not advisable to give anything other than milk, or infusions or any preparation that we have been told to help you flush.

9. To avoid swallowing air, if we give the bottle, you must verify that it is inclined enough so that the milk occupies the entire nipple and there are no air bubbles that you can swallow unintentionally.

10. For five or ten minutes after breastfeeding, babies show a special interest in their surroundings. If they cry after eating, it is probably because they want to party and we are not paying attention to them. It could also be because they have gas.

11. Belching is not mandatory, but most babies feel better after they breathe. To help them, we can incorporate them resting on our shoulders, or put them upside down on our knees and pat them on the back. Sometimes gases can cause severe pain. If so, we should consult the pediatrician.

12. The proper posture to put the baby to bed after eating is on his back. It is safer and will cause gas disturbance to a lesser extent. This position is the one you should always have in the crib to avoid sudden death.

13. Milk stains on clothes smell bad. They can be removed with a mixture of water and yeast (a teaspoon for a cup of water). Not only the bad smell is removed, but also the stain.

14. Guidelines for weight gain: in the first five months, most children double their weight and by the end of the first year, they usually weigh three times more than they weighed at birth.

15. Weighing the baby on a daily basis makes no sense and can become a source of unnecessary stress. If he is happy, active and grows well, it means that he is well-fed. The pediatrician keeps an exhaustive follow-up, if he detects something strange, he will take some kind of action.

16. Children who are breast-fed make more bowel movements than those who drink artificial milk. In general, they usually make between one and four poops a day.

17. After approximately three months, children need a certain routine in their lives. Therefore, we must try to put them to bed at the same time and following the same ritual. This should be maintained for the following years.

Babycare
18. The smaller they are, the more they startle if we approach rashly, without warning. First, you have to maintain eye contact and talk to them. Then, placing one hand under the head and another under the trunk, we lift them gently. They are not as fragile as they seem, so let's take them gently but firmly.

19. One of the most delicate points of babies is the buttocks. Therefore, it is advisable to change your diaper often and thus avoid getting irritated. Although modern superpañales keep them dry for long hours, the moist warmth in the belly area is not good for the skin.

20. Changing diapers on a table or changing the table is more comfortable so that the adult's back does not suffer, but extreme care must be taken to avoid accidents. Babies are able to turn their bodies and roll within a few weeks.

21. Before putting on a new diaper, you have to clean it gently and dry it very well, making sure that there is no moisture left between the folds.

22. During the first weeks, you can bathe in the sink. It is advisable to place a protector to avoid accidentally hitting it against the tap. A bathtub can also be used.

23. To clean you, in principle, warm water would suffice. If we use soap, make it neutral. Talcum powder is discouraged: you could inhale them.

24. If the baby was afraid of the bathtub, we can sit naked without any water, give him some toy and then fill the bathtub little by little.

25. When bathing, you must first turn off the hot water tap and then the cold one. Thus, we avoid that if the tap leaks, drops of very hot water will fall.

26. The umbilical cord wound does not need a special bandage while it heals. You can bathe the little one if we then dry the navel area well. We will wash that part with a towel dipped in warm water, then dry it and place a clean gauze on top. If the wound suppurates or bleeds, the pediatrician should be consulted.

27. Most newborns wear too much clothing. If they are overcooked, they may suffer a hot flush: they sweat and feel bad.

28. In the first months, it is normal for the child to have cold hands and feet. But if the skin at the level of the shoulder blades or the gut is hot and dry, it means that it is not cold.

29. During the first months, the child's head needs support. When we have you in your arms, you have to hold it at all times gently but firmly. Newborns get very scared when they fall to the side or back.

30. Babies' nails grow very fast. The best time to cut them is when they sleep deeply. We must use special scissors for babies, with blunt (round) tip.