How To Care For Infants

Becoming new parents for the first time is an overwhelming experience, but most new parents become confused when it comes to caring for their child. How to calm the crying baby? When to know that the baby is hungry and feeling uncomfortable? If these are the questions creeping in your mind, then here are some tips for your aid. Starting from following nutritional guidelines to changing diapers, new parents have to stay alert every minute to keep their baby in comfort. As new parents you should follow the guidelines strictly to ensure that your infant is getting all the essential nutrients and not missing anything that can affect the growth of the baby. Follow nutritional guideline provided by your child’s pediatrician. Change your infant’s diaper as soon he/she wets it. For newborn babies, you might have to change your baby’s diaper every 3 to 4 hours. Changing diaper frequently will keep your baby comfortable and prevent any diaper rash. For more such tips, read on.

Tips On Infant Care

Play with your infant as much as possible. This will not only keep him/her busy, but will play an important part in the baby’s education as well. Plus, this will also make the baby alert and help to develop social skills.
Teach the infant a proper sleep pattern. New parents should give training of a proper daily sleep routine. This will help the baby to understand when the bedtime is. Although newborn babies sleep more frequently, this comes down as the baby grows older.
Keep your infant protected by dressing him/her with appropriate clothing. Newborn babies have poor immune system, plus they are not able to regulate body temperatures like adults. So dressing your baby with an extra layer of clothing would keep him/her warm even if the outside temperature is cold.
Don’t miss any appointment schedules with your infant’s pediatrician.
Vaccinate the infant at the right time to prevent deadly diseases.
Encourage infants in their developmental activities like rolling a ball or throwing a toy down to the floor and then again picking it up.
Babies up to their first six months should be breastfed and then parents can switch to formulated milk or store-bought baby food. Nonetheless, consult your baby’s pediatrician before you switch your baby’s food habit.
Breast milk contains the vitamins and minerals that a newborn requires, and it can be easily digested by the baby. Plus, breast milk contains antibodies that help to build up immune system in the baby and keep away common diseases like diarrhea and other infectious diseases.
When your baby is crying, try to calm down gently.
Remember to trim your baby’s nails from time to time, either by a file or baby-sized clippers, to prevent scratching of the face.
Sponge baths are good for infants. You can also give your infant proper bath in lukewarm water in an infant bathtub.
Babies tend to swallow some air during swallowing. If babies are not burped frequently it may lead to gassiness, crankiness, and spitting up. When burping your baby, pat on your baby’s back gently. There is no need to pound hard. If your baby spits or has a wet burp, you may place a bib or towel under your infant’s chin.
Encourage your baby to lie down on his/her stomach when awake. This helps to develop strong head and neck muscles. Remember, to keep an eye on your baby when he/she is on his/her stomach.

New parents often question how to care for infants. These useful tips will answer your question about your baby’s feeding, health, and safety issues.

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