Guide for the First Time Parents

Humans are blessed with numerous blessings throughout their lives, but being blessed with a baby is an extremely overwhelming feeling. Becoming parents is an experience which is impossible to describe in words. When you become parents for the first time, your life changes from top to bottom and nothing remains the same. Your life does not remain just yours but you share it with the people you love the most in the most loving, thoughtful and divine way ever.

Becoming parents for the first time brings you a lot of delight and bundles of happiness as you enter in an entirely new chapter of your life. Transitioning into a new mother and father is indeed the most beautiful time of one’s life. It looks like the biggest change in one’s life and before the birth of baby one cannot be fully aware of parenthood. Even after preparing for nine months you will feel like you know nothing about what to do next.

Tips about Handling A New Born:

Everyone learns from experiences but still manyparents take advices from their health provider or nurses. Here are some tips about how to handle new born babies perfectly.

• Hygiene of New Born Babies:

Infants are very weak when it comes to germs and sickness. They have the weakest immune system and get easily get infected by viruses and bacteria. Baby skin is very gentle and soft so usually sponge baths are given to the babies for a specific duration of time. Sponge bathing twice or thrice a week is enough for a new born baby. You can tub baths too if you feel like your baby is ready for tubs now.

Remember to keep a soft towel, unscented bathing essentials like shampoo and soaps, cleans diapers and neat and clean clothes.

• Weekly and Monthly Doctor Check Ups:

Schedule doctors’ visits for your new born babies. Infants require extra care and attention. Regular doctor checkups are required for the proper care of baby. They are also very essential for keeping a proper track of your baby’s health because the initial year of development of an infant are critical.

• Sleeping Schedule:

Try to keep your sleep schedule same as your baby’s sleeping schedule. You need energy to look after your baby whole day and night. Your body also needs some quality rest after going through the whole process of pregnancy and labor. Use your baby’s nap time as your relaxing time too. Plus you don’t need to keep the entire house silent while making your baby asleep as it is good for baby to sleep in background noises and get use to of these noises.

• Some Knowledge about Diapering:

Using a cloth or diaper, it is totally the parents’ choice but parents mostly prefer diapers as they are comfortable and gentle for the baby’s gentle skin. Whatever you use, your little ones will definitely dirty then at least 10 times a day. Keep the check about the diaper because a wet diaper can cause rashes. Dispose the wet diaper as soon as you find it wet to stay protected from rashes.

While changing the diaper remember to keep a new diaper with you. Diaper ointments are important to keep the baby’s skin safe. Keep diaper wipes or a bowl of warm water with you while changing diapers. Keep the baby’s genital area clean and dry and expose it to the open air. While changing a your baby boy’s diaper stay alert because air can make him urinate and while changing your baby girl’s diaper clean the surrounding of the genital parts to avoid Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). It is important to leave baby’s bottom bare.

• Care of Umbilical Cord and Circumcision:

Right after the process of circumcision the tip of the baby’s penis is covered with a net type material commonly called gauze filled with some lubricating material like petroleum jelly. This helps the penis wound to keep from sticking to the diaper or cloth.

Wipe and clean the tip of the penis with gentle hands and always apply any sort of lubricant on the tip of the penis that is not harsh for baby’s skin. The redness or irritation should be healed within a couple of days but if you feel it is not getting any better, consult your doctor immediately. There may be any infection if swelling or puss filled blisters are seen on the penis.

In new born babies umbilical cord care is very essential. Swabbing the area with alcohol swabs is a good way of taking care of the umbilical cord. The cord stump will dry and fall off itself within 3 weeks of the birth. You can also leave the area untouched but keeping a check is important. You should not let the water touch your baby’s naval area until the stump dries and fall off. It may cause infection. If any sort of discharge, or reddish color or irritation is felt around the area immediately call on your doctor.

• Method of Feeding and Burping:

Feeding your little one can be tiring whether to do it through a bottle or breast. You should feed your baby according to their demand which means whenever they are hungry. You will know whenever your baby is hungry by noticing the following things.

If they are hungry they will cry or make sucking noises or will take their fingers in their mouth.  Infants require feeding after every couple of hour.

If you are breast feeding then give east breast a chance to nurse for 10-15 minutes. Babies can get gassy, in this situation try burping them. You can pat at the back of babies or lay your baby face down on your lap or shoulder for burping them.

• Baby safe clothes:

Do not wear clothes which can cause disturbance for the baby. Wear easy and comfortable clothes.

• Need of socializing:

If you feel like your baby is starting to feel isolated, you should start taking your baby out with you. You and your little one will feel good and fresh.

• Night sleeping schedule:

By turning off lights or dimming lights you can create a peaceful environment to make your baby fall sleep.

• Taking Care of Yourself:

Parents get all busy in looking after their little ones and forget about themselves. You can do simple things to take care of yourself like eating healthy food, grabbing a good nap, exposing yourself to open air, interacting with other people and doing something of your interest can really help you function properly all day.

These are some of the best advices for the first time parents. From conception to birth it is a period of celebration but keeping these things in minds can really help you in handling your little ones. If you feel like expanding your family after some time, these guides will help you then too. In case of any abnormal behavior or any confusion, contact your doctor immediately.