How do I take care of a baby?
How do I take care of a baby?
This may be one of the most common questions from new parents today. They know that love their child and some even know how to take care of older children through siblings or work experience but there can be something truly mysterious and sometimes frightening about taking care of a newborn baby!
They can’t tell you what they need so they cry.
They sleep all day but don’t want to sleep at night.
They eat and eat and eat and eat but some of them seem to spit up most of what they eat.
They cry some more!
They can’t hold up their head so bathtime feels like absolute chaos.
If you have ever had any of these thoughts, you are definitely not alone. Babyhood can feel like a great mystery with no real solution. This is where a newborn care professional comes into play! We work with newborn every single day so they aren’t as mysterious to us and want to help you break the code for your baby too. Here’s some tricks to help you figure out how to take care of your baby.
What do I do if the baby is crying?
Step one, go through the list.
Are they tired? Babies only need to be awake for up to two hours at a time. If you hare pushing 1.5-2 hours of awake time, it is probably time to help your baby transition to a nap with some calming white noise (not too loud!) a swaddle blanket and a dark room.
Are they hungry? Sometimes we just fed the baby but baby isnt satisfied. If you are bottle feeding, make sure to pace feed baby (slow feeding to ensure no overfeeding and less gas. Here’s a great video)If you are nursing, its common for baby to latch on and off multiple times when they are learning how to nurse. My suggestion is, don’t keep time. Let baby latch on and off during the day so that they can help establish your supply and form the necessary bond to parents!
Are they gassy? Bicycles, tummy time and tummy massage are super helpful. Babies are sturdy so don’t feel like you can’t use a bit of muscle behind those bicycles.
Are they uncomfortable? Sometimes doing a quick body check to check for any hair tourniquets, or other body weirdness can be helpful.
Have you been outside lately? Sitting outside or going on a nice walk can be just what the baby needed to change up their perspective and calm down their little bodies.
Are they overstimulated? TV, phone, music, older siblings. There are so many distractions and chaos’s of life. Sometimes just turning everything off, getting on the floor with your baby and giving them undivided attention is just what is needed to help your baby feel grounded and relaxed.
Are YOU overstimulated? Babies know their parents and can sense when you are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated. There is absolutely nothing wrong with putting your baby in a safe place, walking out of the room and heading outside for a quick breath and stretch outside. Sometimes removing ourselves from the situation helps us get our footing so that we can figure out what is going on with our baby.
If all else fails, let your baby take a bath with you or a shower with you. Babies need skin to skin attatchment with their parents as much as possible. The more skin to skin, the happier the baby. Take the blankets, cute outfits and little hats off your baby, take off your shirt and give them the skin to skin they need! I promise it will help everyone feel better!
This is not a comprehensive list by any means of how to care for your baby but I hope it gives you an idea of what your baby needs from you and how to best get to know them and their needs! You can do this and we are always here to help when you need it!