5 Tips On Looking After Newborn Babies

To any responsible dad, there is nothing as important as caring for your newborn baby. And you will quickly discover you need some preparation before it is born as you will be almost clueless. In this article we review some of the most important things to consider to make sure that your baby gets all the attention it needs.

1. Feeding. You cannot run away from this responsibility. Babies have to be fed right and you have a choice to make before the baby is born as to whether to breastfeed the baby of bottle feed. You can make this decision based on your personal preferences and most importantly, in consultation with your physician and midwife. Breastfeeding is the one that most doctors recommend nowadays based on various medical studies that have been done lately. Studies have shown that breastfed infants have less hypersensitivity later in life than those bottle fed. This is because mothers milk  contains natural enzymes and antibodies that can fortify your baby's immunity against various infections. Breastfed babies have also been shown to have a higher intellect than the bottled fed ones.

2. Sleep. One thing that you will quickly discover as a baby is that babies like to sleep.  Newborns can sleep for up to 17 and 18 hours a day. Baby's sleep can last from 30 minutes to 3 hours during the first weeks. But as time goes by you  start to notice some improvements in your baby's sleep patterns. Before long your baby's sleeping pattern  becomes more structured. This usually happens after 6 weeks from birth. Due to the erratic nature of your baby's sleep pattern, it is advisable to sleep when your baby is sleeping, whether in the morning or evening. Newborns will show you signs that they want to sleep by crying or rubbing their eyes. Infants usually communicate through crying. You have to get used to it. (LOL). 

3. Bathing your baby: You don't need to bath your newborn baby on a daily basis. Two to three times a week is enough. You need to make sure that your baby is bathed using a sponge bath. Avoid tub bathing in the early days until the umbilical cord falls off to avoid infection.

4. Your babies skin care. Your newborn baby's skin is delicate and smooth and therefore need special care. You need to use products meant for babies and make sure you consult your physician and midwife before making your choice. Newborn babies can develop rashes, as I recently discovered for myself. This is  normal but if your baby is irritated by a rash or has a fever consult your baby's doctor immediately. 

5. Giving Your Newborn Medicine. Your newborn may one day have to take some medicine like anyone of us. When this happens, make sure that you follow your baby's physician advice. Make sure that you strictly follow the dosage prescribed. If your baby develops an adverse reaction, consult your physician immediately before continuing with the administration of the medicines.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and is not meant in any way to replace advice given by healthcare professionals.