How to Care for Infants

Eating is pretty much a new infants favorite way to spend "awake time". Newborns grow very quickly and have a need to consume milk, either from a breast or bottle, to help support and sustain that growth. Breastmilk or formula is a choice each parent should make before a newborn arrives so they can be prepared with the appropriate knowledge and equipment that will be needed to feed a newborn. Each baby should have about 8-10 wet and/or dirty diapers a day through the first six weeks of life. After about six to eight weeks http://www.tfjewelrysales.net/ you may see this decrease to between 4-6 wet diapers a day, and some baby's may only have a bowel movement once every week or two! Make sure you are prepared with some diapers before your newborn arrives; pull them out of the pack and familiarize yourself with the way the diaper goes on and closes. Since most newborns do not get down on the floor and crawl around in dirt, bathing is not essential to everyday care. However, it is a good idea to give your infant a wipe down (especially in the diaper area and under chin/neck folds) just to ensure baby is clean and sanitary. Each time you change a baby's diaper you should use a cotton swab or ball to cleanse around the umbilical cord. Be careful not to pull or tug on the umbilical cord as this could force it to come off before has healed into http://tfjewelrysales.net a belly button. Also, when you are cleaning the umbilical area, be sure to watch for unusual discharge or blood as this may indicate an infection or tear. By the time your baby is two months old, this will fall off and you won't have to worry about it anymore!Toys are not necessary to newborn infants as they cannot see far and have little interest in anything but people and faces. As a parent, you want to do all you can to make your baby feel safe, secure, and loved, so take some time out of the day to rub your baby down with lotion or hold him/her up against your bare skin (baby's skin should be bare also). New babies should sleep about 16 hours a day, but they usually sleep in spurts. Don't get frustrated with your infant because they won't sleep, there is probably a reason why. Most babies need to be fed about every 2-4 hours because they have small stomachs. Uncomfortable wetness or dirty diapers can also wake a baby. Sometimes, babies just want to be held or comforted. Develop a strategy with your partner for taking care of an infant when you are both tired. Ensuring that everybody is well rested will make life with an infant much easier. Create a "care box" using a small box, crate, or basket filled with things for your infants essential needs to take with you around Cheap Tiffany Bracelets the house. Include 4-5 diapers, a wipe case, rubbing alcohol, nail clippers or scissors, petroleum gel and gauze (if baby is boy and will be circumsized), bottles (if formula feeding), a change of clothes for your infant, and a burp cloth. Use the box around the house to avoid the need to interrupt relaxation time and reduce the need to turn on lights, create noise, and disturb sleeping partners or children. Be prepared with a car seat for your baby when you leave the hospital. Most hospitals will not let you leave with a newborn if you do not have a car seat installed in your car. Make sure your car seat is installed properly. Contact your local fire department, police station, or insurance agent for car seat safety check locations. Child-proof your home before your infant starts crawling. Get down on the floor and look around from a baby's viewpoint. What can you see? If you can see it, chances are your baby will too, which means they will want to play with it and taste it. Be prepared to start teaching your infant limits when they begin to move around. If baby tries to play with an electrical wire or outlet (covered or not) or anything else that may present a danger, tell your baby that it is not safe and invite him/her to engage in a different activity.