Every parent needs help when they first bring home a little one. Be it helping with chores around the house, emotional support, or tips on how to take care of a new born baby. In this article, we have the A-Z of new born care covered.

• Visitors – You might have to break a few hearts here because when it comes to visitors the less is better. Set limits. Don’t let anyone get in close proximity to your baby’s face. Not everyone gets to hold the baby either, especially if they are not maintaining proper hygiene.

• Clothing – It is not important that you keep your baby always bundled up. Dress them in about the same number of layers of clothing as you are in during every season. Watch out for sweating or shivering and add or minus the layers of clothing accordingly.

• Car Safety – Babies’ spines are still developing and their heads are generally large for their bodies, increasing their chances of injuries in car crashes.

Install a baby seat at the back seat of your car. Always have your baby sit rear-facing, because the back of their neck, head and spine is cushioned and protected by the child safety seat in case of frontal accidents, which are the most common.

• Breastfeeding – Stumped about how often to feed your baby? It is recommended you feed your baby only when cued.

Your baby might start crying, make sucking sounds, suck their thumbs or fists when they are hungry. You should consult your baby’s doctor if your baby doesn’t seem interested in having their meals every 2-3 hours. Always burp your baby after feeds.

• Sleep – It might be a little difficult to believe but your little one sleeps 16 hours a day!

This is because they sleep in cycles of 2-4 hours. Expect to wake up several times during the night to soothe baby and feed it. Their tummies are so small that they need to be fed every few hours. But don’t worry, within a year your little one will start having a ten-hour night-time sleep cycle.

Have your baby wear Snuggy, the best overnight diapers to make sure your baby isn’t waking up at odd hours of the night because of a wet diaper.

It’s important that they sleep separately in a crib or a bassinet that is devoid of any blankets, toys or other things that might be a suffocating hazard.

• New born Poop – Parents are obsessed with their babies’ poop and for good reason too. It can tell them quite a lot about their babies’ health. 

Here’s a few pointers for you:

• There’s nothing to worry as long as the poop comes out soft and painless without any difficulties.
• The amount of stool should directly correlate to the amount of milk they are consuming.
• You are ok if their stool is yellow or brown in colour, anything but red, black and white- coloured poop is fine.
• Breastfed babies usually have softer stools which looks a little “seedy.” These seeds are nothing but little globs of undigested milk fat and not a cause for concern at all.
• As for the feel, there is no need to feel up their poop. If your baby’s poop checks all the other boxes, you don’t need to sweat it.

How to handle a new born baby?

A newborn’s fragility may be scary to a person who hasn’t spent much time around them.

Here are a few things to always remember:

• Whenever you cradle the baby or even when you are laying them down, make sure to support their head and neck.
• Never ever shake your baby, whether in play or in frustration. It can cause severe repercussions like bleeding in the brain or even death.
• Avoid rough play such as shaking, bouncing or throwing them in the air. Always avoid rough movements, if possible.

This is all from us today. If you have any questions on new born care that are giving you restless nights of sleep, well, what are you waiting for? Shoot them in the comments section below and we’ll be sure to come up with a solution for you. Until then, happy parenting!