7 steps to care baby: New-born baby care after birth at home

Here I will explain 7 steps to care new born baby at home and hospital, how to react your baby early days clearly explained step by step.

1) Holding Your Baby

A new-born’s neck muscles are quite weak. Therefore, when holding your infant, you should remember to support his back and head with your arm and hand. Your baby is usually unable to hold his head erect until about the third month of life. Handle your infant very carefully, but try not to inhibit natural movement of his legs or arms.

2) Exercise, Air and Sunlight

Your baby should be encouraged to exercise his arms and legs freely. His clothing and bed coverings should not be overly tight, so as not to restrict his movement or provoke heat rash. Between 7 and 10 months of age, your infant will begin to crawl, an important preliminary exercise that strengthens his back muscles while preparing him for his first steps.

Your baby will enjoy being taken outdoor. You should do so whenever you have the chance and the weather permits. Exposure to fresh air can be of great benefit to babies by improving their appetites and helping them adapt to temperature changes. Try to spend part of each day outdoors with your child. Sunshine in moderate amounts, is also helpful because it provides your baby with the essential vitamin D. exposure to the sun should be gradual, since excessive amounts can cause sunburn. Shield your baby’s eyes from direct sunlight. If your baby is exposed to the sun for any length of the time, he should have his head covered.

3) Sleep

Most new-borns will sleep more than they do anything else (as much as 18 to 22 hours a day). Babies who are receiving enough to eat and who do not have any problems digesting their food will more likely sleep between feedings, with only brief periods of wakefulness. Some infants, on the other hands, are awake for longer periods of time with no apparent problems. In either case, it is probably best to allow your child to determine the amount of sleep he wants and needs.

To establish some sort of routine, it may be helpful to put your child to sleep after each feedings. Your baby’s is usually a wake up daily same time, in your baby first year learn to sleep at night in normal day approximately 2 naps are used. During the following year, they usually give up one of these daytime naps.

Most babies seem to be more comfortable on their stomachs, particularly if they are having gas pains, since the gentle pressure appears to relieve them. However, you should attempt to change your baby’s position from time to time, especially the position of his head. This will ensure your baby’s comfort while preventing one side of his head from flattening. You should check on your infant periodically as he sleeps, making sure that nothing interferes with his breathing. Try not to disturb your sleeping child with bright lights or loud noises.

4) Bathing Your Baby

Bathing should always be a happy time for both mother and baby. The time of the day you do it, depends on whether it makes him sleepy or not. If it does, do it in the evening, if it seems to wake him up then bathe him in the morning? The bathing of the baby should fit into the established routine of the household. Never leave the baby alone in his bath. Be sure that the room in which you bathe the baby is warm and free from drafts. Your fingers and hands should be washed thoroughly before you begin. You may want to have an extra towel on hand to keep yourself dry. A comfortable chair is necessary for you to sit on. It is important to have everything ready before starting to bathe your baby each day.

The following items should be ready.

• Basin of warm (not hot) water.
• Large bath towel.
• Soft wash cloth.
• Mild baby soap.
• Baby Shampoo (optional)
• Sterile cotton balls or swabs
• Baby lotion or oil.
• Baby powder.
• Clean diaper or clothing
• Large safety pins or diaper pins.

1. Sponge Bath

A sponge bath maybe preferable to tub bathing during the baby’s first few weeks. this time allows for the healing of your baby’s navel, which at birth may have the remains of the umbilical cord attached to it within the first few weeks following birth any remnant of the cord will wither and become detached. The navel will be raw and tender should consequently be kept a dry as possible to encourage scab formation and healing. Complete healing usually takes a few weeks.

The Sponge bath will also give you the confidence you need to handle and manoeuvre your baby comfortably and effectively. Place your infant on a table. Covered with a large towel or paid. Never leave him alone on a table or high surface. Remove his clothing or diaper and cleanse his genital area carefully. If your baby boy is circumcised, his penis must be protected with petroleum jelly and a gauze bandage until the wound has completely healed (usually within a week or two).

Cover the baby with a large towel. Clean his nose, and outer ears with a dampened cotton ball or swab, never inserting its tip further than you can see. Wash his face with a soft wash cloth and clean water. Avoid using soap on a baby’s face for the first three months. Wipe each eyelid with sterilized cotton, moving from the inside corner outwards. Clean the outside of his mouth thoroughly but avoid washing the inside. Pat his face dry.

With your arm under the baby’s back and your hand supporting his head, you can wash his scalp using very mild soap and water or baby shampoo. Lather his head using gentle circular motions. His head should be held back to prevent soap and water from dripping down his face or into his eyes. Rinse the baby’s scalp with clean water.

• Tub Bath

Giving your infant a tub bath can be quite an adventure for a new parent. Your doctor will advise you as to when you may begin tub bathing your child.

The Bath Can be given in a basin, tub, baby, or even the kitchen sink. Have available all the necessary articles that are required for a sponge bath.

Method:

1. The bath should be half-filled with warm water. Test with your elbow for temperature. Have everything within easy reach.
2. Undress the baby, leaving on his nappy. Wrap him in a warm towel. Clean his face very gently using cotton wool soaked in clean water, and then dry his face very gently.
3. Shampoo his head with soap, rinse thoroughly and dry his head. Unwrap the towel and remove his nappy.
4. Soap him all over with your hand and put him into the bath. Hold securely.
5. Rinse the Soap off with the water in the tub and let him kick about if he wishes to.
6. Lift him out of the bath and lay him face down on the towel on your lap.
7. Dry the baby all over, paying particular attention to the creases around the neck, underarms, knees and bottom.
8. Rub a little creams or petroleum jelly between his legs and on his buttocks.
9. Powder the baby’s body lightly to make sure it is properly dry.
10. Dress him.

5)Diapering and diapers

        Diapers should be changed immediately when wet or soiled to prevent your baby’s skin rashes. You may find that changing your baby after each feeding will probably be sufficient to keep him comfortable and prevent diaper rash. Some babies have particularly sensitive skin and may require more frequent changes.

Place the baby on a towel and remove his diaper. Using warm water, wash the genital area gently from front to back (especially important for girls), then pat dry with a towel. If the baby has had a bowel movement, fold the soiled portion of the diaper under and wipe the buttocks with cotton or toilet tissue. The baby’s behind should then be washed with mild soap and water, rinsed and patted dry. You can apply lotion or oil to the area with cotton, being attentive to skin folds and creases.

There are two widely accepted methods of putting on a baby’s nappy.

Method 1 – Lay the nappy out, flat, fold it into a triangle and then fold into a smaller triangle. Place the baby on the triangle with the point down between his feet. Fold each of the side points between his legs and tuck them well under him, then bring the central point up between his legs. All three thicknesses can then be held in place with one nappy pin. When pinning, have two of your fingers between the baby and the nappy to avoid sticking the pin into him. Always use safety guarded pins.

Method 2 – lay out the nappy and fold it lengthwise to produce three thicknesses. Fold up the lower third at one end so that you have an area of six thicknesses. Lay the baby lengthways on the nappy and fold it up between his legs, securing it at the sides with two safety pins. With boys, it is best to have the thickest part in front and with girls at the back.

Wet diapers should be rinsed immediately and placed in a covered pail containing water. A mild soap thoroughly dissolved in the water will help remove stains. Diapers must be washed each day, separately from all other clothes. If possible, it is best to dry your baby’s diapers in the sun, since sunlight destroys bacteria.

Today, more and more parents use disposable diapers for convenience. Available in a number of sizes and thicknesses, disposable diapers require no safety pins or rubber bands. Although more expensive than cloth diapers, they require no washing and are particularly handy when you travel with your baby.

6) Keeping your baby healthy

To make sure that your baby stays healthy, regular monthly visits to your doctor are a must. Inform your doctor of any problems or peculiarities you may notice in your baby’s development or behaviour. Your doctor will let you know when it is time to immunize your baby against various infectious diseases.

Whenever possible, you should keep your baby away from crowded places and from people who have colds or other infectious diseases. It is also wise to keep small children from getting too close to your baby. Discourage all visitors from kissing your baby on the mouth, since this can spread harmful germs to him.

1. Crying: During a baby’s early months, his crying is usually a sign of hunger, discomfort, or fatigue. Once your baby has fallen into a fairly regular feeding schedule, you will be better able to know why he cries at any given time. Cries of hunger usually occur just before feeding time. In such instances, the baby will become quite by feeding.

Often, however, your baby may fret or cry between feedings for no apparent reason. If his crying is limited to one particular period of the day (most often in late afternoon), it probably indicates fatigue. A tired baby who has been overstimulated during the day may find it impossible to fall asleep without first experiencing a period of fussing. However, when periods of crying are irregular and occur throughout the day or night, it may be a sign of colic. Usually the gas pains and discomfort associated with colic can be relieved by holding your baby on his stomach while you rub his back gently.

No Matter what the cause, no child should be left to cry unattended for long periods of time. Crying is the only way an infant has of communicating that something is wrong. A crying baby is in discomfort. The answer may be as simple as changing a wet or soiled diaper or finding a safety pin that has been pricking his skin. If all your efforts to soothe the baby fail, his crying maybe a sign of illness. Take his temperature and if he has a fever, call the doctor.

• Weight: there is no ‘normal’ or fixed rate at which a baby should gain weight. Weight gain varies considerably from infant to infant. Most babies regulate their weight gain by eating only what they want and no more. In this way, each child will grow at a pace that he himself chooses.

To keep track of your baby’s growth, you may want to weigh him each week. By the fifth month, most babies will have doubled their birth weight. After this time, however, growth begins to slow.

• Temperature:

A baby’s body temperature varies with the time of day (lower in the early morning and higher in late afternoon) and with the amount of activity (higher after exercise). A healthy baby’s rectal temperature may range between 37.5 degree and 37.8 degree C (99.5 Degree and 100.1 degree F). A rectal temperature of over 37.8 degree C (100.1 degree F) is usually abnormal and should be reported to your doctor. Whenever your baby is extraordinarily restless or fretful, it may be an indication of illness and you may want to take his temperature.

Rectal temperature is an accurate measure of the baby’s body temperature. For easier insertion, you can coat the bulb of the thermometer with petroleum jelly or cold cream.

Perhaps the most comfortable position for both you and your baby when taking rectal temperature is to hold the infant on his stomach, across your lap, allowing his legs to hang freely. This position permits easy access to the rectum, while making it more difficult for the baby to squirm or kick. Gently insert the bulb of the thermometer about an inch (2 to 3 cm) into the baby’s rectum. Do not hold the top too stiffly, since any movement by your baby may cause some discomfort. It may be better to hold the thermometer between two fingers as you lay the palm of your hand across the child’s buttocks. If thermometer inserted don’t leave alone your baby.

It is preferable to keep the thermometer in for 2-3 mts. To be sure of an accurate reading. However, one minute is usually sufficient. The mercury will stay at the maximum level unless shaken down, so you may place the thermometer aside to diaper the baby and then read his temperature when your hands are free.

• Teething

You may notice the appearance of your child’s first tooth (usually a lower front incisor) at about six months of age. However, it is quite common for children to begin teething as early as three or four months or as late as one year. A child will experience some discomfort when teething and consequently may be cranky or restless. He may also have difficulty sleeping through the night or experience a temporary loss of appetite. A rubber teething ring or other suitable object to chew on may help to relieve his sore gums. Do not assume that fever or diarrhea is merely a result of teething. Any unusual symptoms should always be reported to the doctor promptly.

7) Immunizations

          Your child can be protected against many dangerous diseases by making sure that he or, she gets all the required ‘shots’ some of these immunizations are permanent, while others require ‘booster’ shots from time to time in order to maintain protection.

Your doctor will know what immunizations should be given and when. It’s important for you to keep a permanent record of immunization so that you can refer to it from to time, especially when your child is ready to start school.

Read More after came home click here

FAQ