Guide for First Time Parents: Congratulations on the birth of your child! Welcome to parenthood. You’ve persisted 9 months of pregnancy. You’ve finished it through the excitement of labor and delivery, and now you’re ready to head through the hospital doors and begin your life at home with your baby.
But as those doors close behind you, you wildly realize you have no idea what you’re doing! Do not fear, parenting comes naturally to most of us, some slower than others.
Getting Help after Birth
You may want some help from friends and family to get through this time, which can be very confused and overwhelming. so, we are here to give you some basic guide for first time parents to make them feel free from any anxieties. While in the hospital, use the proficient around you. Many hospitals have lactation consultants who can help you get started nursing or bottle-feeding guide for the first time parents.
Handling a Newborn
Be prepared to support your baby’s head and neck. Support the head when carrying your baby and upkeep the head when carrying him or her upright or when you lay him or her down.
If you need to waken your infant, don’t jiggle him or her – instead, tickle his or her feet or blow gently on his or her cheek.
Think of that your newborn is not ready for irregular play such as being jiggled on the knee or thrown in the air.
Nursing
Hiccups, sneezing, and shocking is normal in the newborn infant and are caused by their undeveloped nervous system. Even though breastfeeding hasn’t changed over the ages, not all mothers nor infants hit it off immediately.
It is the environment’s wonderful design that the infant is not born hungry and that his or her appetite also develops in about three to four days. It is common for babies to be very drowsy in those first days and to approach eating with varying interests.
We recommend that you breastfeed your baby until age one. These are some of the basic guides for first time parents.
Formulas guide for First Time Parents
All the major types of formulas are equally nutritious and healthy for the average baby. So formulas are infrequently used for indigestion. Make sure that the formula you buy is having Iron. Low iron formulas will make your baby weak and will not help his or her constipation.
DHA and ARA are amino acids that are normally found in breast milk. They help with vision and brain development. Please keep your child on formula until age one. Then you can switch to regular whole milk.
Diapering guide for First Time Parents
- Must use a clean diaper
- Apply diaper ointment, only if the baby has a rash
- Use the water, cotton balls, and washcloth or the wipes to gently wipe your baby’s genital area clean. When removing a boy’s diaper, do so carefully because exposure to the air may make him urinate. When wiping a girl, wipe her bottom from front to back to avoid a urinary tract infection.
Bathing guide for first time parents
You should give your baby a sponge bath until:
- The umbilical cord falls off (1-3 weeks)
- The circumcision heals (1-2 weeks) A bath two or three times a week in the first year is sufficient. More frequent bathing may be drying to the skin.
You’ll need the following items before you give your baby a bath:
- A soft, clean washcloth
- Mild, unscented baby soap and shampoo
- A soft brush to stimulate the baby’s scalp
- Towels or blankets
Sleeping Basics guide for first time parents
As a new parent, you may be surprised to learn that your newborn, who seems to need you every minute of the day, actually sleeps about 16 hours or more!
Usually, a newborn will sleep for periods of 3 to 4 hours. Don’t expect your newborn to sleep through the night – because your baby’s digestive system is so small, he or she needs food every few hours and should be wake up if he or she hasn’t been fed for 5 hours.
It’s important to place your infant on his or her back to sleep to decrease the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In addition, you should remove all fluffy blankets, quilts, stuffed animals, and cushions from the crib to ensure that your baby doesn’t get scrambled in them.
You should also be sure to alternate the position of your baby’s head from night tonight so that he or she doesn’t develop a flat spot on one side of his or her head.
If you have questions or worries, ask your doctor to recommend resources that can help you and your baby grow together.