Baby Care Tips

Consejos y Golosinas

TipsAndTreats.com

Temas de actualidad

Interpretación de los Sueños
Horóscopo Diario

TAT Móvil

	Ezine libre
Distribuir Nuestro RSS

BabyCare Tips

Having a New Baby, particularly your first, is one of the mostexciting events of your life, butat times it can also feel like one of the most frightening!

Tasks that you may expect to "come naturally", like breastfeeding,bathing or settling a crying baby can become traumatic if your new babydoes not seem to want to cooperate!

Last Updated - 24th September 2005

Jaundice in the Newborn Baby.
Do not be alarmed if the whites of your baby's eyes and their skin turnsa slight yellow color after 3 days. This is a condition called jaundiceand is caused because your baby's liver cannot work fast enoughto dispose of a pigment called bilirubin. Premature babies are more likelyto suffer from jaundice.
It usually clears up after a few days and this can be aided by exposureto sunlight (through a window).You may also be encouraged to feed yourbaby as often as possible. Sometimes when the bilirubin levels are veryhigh a baby may need to be exposed to controlled amounts of ultra violetlight in the form of phototherapy. Ultra violet breaks down the pigmentlevels in the skin. This will be carried out in hospital. Your baby willbe placed in a special crib sometimes in Special Care. This is a routinetreatment and is very effective.

Baby Nails
Try cutting your baby's nails when they are asleep, it's lessstressful and there is less chance of cutting the end of there fingersoff.

Bottle refusal
If your baby starts to refuse a bottle don't give up, try a differenttype of teat. Many main outlets stock the same main brands and types ofteat so try your local chemist as they may have more variety, especiallydifferent shaped ones. If you have been using silicone teats, try a latexone. Although they are a bit smelly and probably won't last as long, theyseem softer on your baby's gums, a problem particularly if they are teething.

An alternative to baby wipes
If you can't afford or don't want to use baby wipes when you go out, takea damp flannel in a plastic bag to clean and wash and a dry flannel toact as a towel to dry your baby. Carry this around in a small plasticbag e.g.: a sandwich bag or freezer bag.

When should your baby sleep in their own room
Don't feel that you have to keep your baby in your room atnight. It's down to the individual. Most new parents keep their baby withthem at night for the first few months and this can obviously make iteasier for night feeds etc. If your partner has returned to work, nightlydisruption can cause tension and stress from lack of sleep. If, by placingthe baby in his/her room, you are worried about not hearing your babycry, then purchase a monitor and place one in your baby's room and anotherin your bedroom. On whatever you decide to do and whenever, try not tofeel guilty. It is a big move when your baby sleeps in their own roomfor the first time but you and they will soon adjust to the change androutine will soon settle in.

Register your baby's birth
Don't forget to register your baby's birth. In the When you receive thebirth certificate, make sure it's correct and if not, get it correctedas soon as possible.

Cradle Cap
If you find your baby develops a yellow, hard crust on his/herscalp then your baby probably has Cradle Cap. Don't panic! - this is verycommon. Rubbing coconut oil into the scalp, leaving overnight and thenshampooing as usual the following morning is very effective. You may needto repeat this several times. The problem resolved itself and then reappearsa week later, this is quite normal.

Sensitive skin in the sun
If the sun is out, remember to give baby a covering of good sun blockto keep out those harmful rays.

Get some air to the baby's bottom !
If your baby is suffering from nappy rash, try bathing them in lukewarmwater. This will remove all traces of urine. Do not add any bubble bath.Let their bottom dry naturally in the air. Nappy rash is caused by ammonia,in urine, reacting on the babies skin. It breaks down their natural protectiveskin barrier. This then makes the skin red, sore, spotty and can leadto blisters. This leaves the skin open to infections such as thrush (candida).Nappy rash is a very common problem but should not be overlooked. If thenappy rash does not clear up after a few days with using normal antisepticbarrier cream at nappy changes, consult your health visitor or doctor.

Sleeping problems from ear ache
Babies can be extremely susceptible to ear infections and this can causethem immense discomfort. Problems like this are usually recognized byprolonged periods of screaming and generally not able to settle at all.After your doctor/health visitor has diagnosed that the problem lies withan ear infection, a warm rice bag may help to soothe. These come in manydifferent shapes and colors but are essentially a cloth bag filled withrice. They can also help with sore muscles. Warm the bag in a microwaveoven until warm and place it under the baby's head, next to his/her ear.It will stay warm for a long time and help to relax them.

Ready for bath time
Before you bath your baby ensure that you have everything you need nearto you, as you should never leave a baby or small child unattended inthe bath. Things you will need: - Nappy, cream, babygro/clothes, warmedtowel

Refluxing - Premature Babies
Refluxing is a common problem with premature babies. One way of lesseningthe reflux is to keep your baby's head elevated. Bouncers come in handyfor this purpose.

Sterilizing in the first 6 months
You should sterilize all bottles, eating equipment and dummies until yourbaby is 6 months old. If you are breast feeding and haven't got a sterilize,you can boil eating utensils for 10 minutes.
Remember that milk is a good breeding ground for germs so give bottles,teatsetc. a very good wash in hot soapy water before sterilizing.

Blisters on lips
If you notice a blister on your baby's upper lip, do not bealarmed. These are known as sucking blisters and may occur at any timewhile your baby is purely milk fed. they will disappear on their own usuallywithin a day or so

Bathing Baby
Some people advise you to use a baby bath for months, they are happierto be in the big bath, lying on their backs in very shallow water (2 cmdeep)

Always Baby Talk
At a young age your baby will start to talk or babble as is sounds. Althoughthey are not able to pronounce real sounding words, your baby is tryingto communicate with you. Talk back and answer them as you would an olderchild. When looking at things or going for a walk, point things out tothem and tell them what they are. Even if you think that they are tooyoung to understand what you are saying - they will start to associatewords with situations and things & will soon start trying to pronouncethem. After all, children are like computers, they only output what youinput!

Baby in the highchair
When you start feeding your baby in her highchair, make sure you haveeverything ready around you. Also ensure that you strap your baby intoher highchair, even if she is very young. Never leave her alone in herhighchair, even if you don't think that she can get out - you never know.The main things that you will need around you are: - food, bowl, spoons,bib, and flannel.

Sleep! Problems
Even when the whole house is being shouted down by your troublesome twoyear old, stick to your guns. It is very important to keep to routineeven when your baby/toddler thinks otherwise. Try to keep to a strictbed time. You have to keep to this routine for a couple of weeks beforeyou see a change but it will get better. In the Summer time it can bea good idea to darken the child's room if there is too much light comingthrough.

Taking babies out in the sun
Remember that babies have very delicate skin so they will burn in sunthat you as an adult would not even notice was strong. Always use a sunblock with a high spf (Sun Protection Factor) i.e. 25 or even 50. Thisfactor does not stand for the number of hours you are safe for, it justmeans that your baby will be protected up to 50 times more than if theywere not using any blockat all, for example if they would normally burnafter 2 minutes with a sun block of factor 50 they are protected for 1hour 40 minutes.
It's a good idea to cover your baby with loose fitting cotton clothesbut remember that they can still burn through clothes, so use a blockas well..

Aspirin and children
Aspirin should never be given to children under 12 years old unless specificallyprescribed by your doctor, as it has been linked to a very rare conditioncalled Reyes syndrome (where by there is inflammation of the brain andliver).
Aspirin is also known as salicylate or saliclic acid, so check any productsyou are unsure of. Your General Physician or pharmacist will be able tohelp you and give you further advice.

New born babies and car seats
Make sure you have acquired a baby car seat before you haveto collect your baby from hospital, check the requirements of your localhospital as most hospitals will not allow you to bring your baby homewithout one. It doesn't matter if you borrow or buy, but do ensure thatthe seat is up to the current safety standards and if its borrowed thatit hasn't been in a car that's been involved in an accident. Its a goodidea to practice putting it in and taking it out of the car before hand,as when you pick your new born up from the hospital it can be a very stressfulday.

Dog and your baby
If you have a dog and are having a baby, it is a good idea to have yourdog checked over by your Vet. Ensure your dog is flea/tick free and alsois regularly wormed. If you have a room where the baby will sleep, awayfrom the everyday living room, try putting a stair gate to stop the dogfrom being able to enter this room.

Easing of pushchair and pram fittings
If you have ever been in this situation, it is raining and you're eithertrying to put up or pack away the pram or pushchair and it just won'topen or close properly, then this tip may help you next time.
When runners, sliders or brackets stick or refuse to run freely, thenjust spray them with ordinary furniture polish, this acts as a lubricant,but has the added advantage that it isn't oily like WD40 or other oilscan be.

Prevention of nappy rash

Advertisement

All babies may get nappy rash at one time or another. Some ways ofhelping to avoid this are as follows:-

Clean the nappy area very carefully with cotton wool and lukewarmwater and dry well.

Let your baby spend a period of time every day without a nappy on- or if possible at the end of most nappy changes.

Change your baby's nappy as soon as it becomes dirty.

If using disposable nappies you do not need to worry about changinga wet nappy straight away as they are now highly absorbent, but youshould still change them regularly.

Some parents find using a barrier cream helpful, others however findit better to let the skin breathe without the use of creams.

Door locks
It is a good idea to move your bathroom door locks up higher if possibleso that your toddler cannot inadvertently lock themselves in.

Another tip is to put a bolt on the outside of the door, also up highso that you can keep the door shut and keep your toddler out of the toilet,as this is always the place they want to play.

Babies with wind
Here is something to check if your baby is suffering from excessive windproblems and is bottle fed. Ensure the hole in the teat is not so smallthat your baby has to suck too hard to get the milk out, thus taking inextra air. There is an age guide printed on all teat packaging. You shouldalso have the bottle at an angle to make sure that the teat is full ofmilk at all times.

Some symptoms of wind are as follows:- Lifting up knees, excessive crying,eyes rolling, smiling when eyes are shut.

T aking baby's temperature
Remember that a thermometer reading that is taken under thearm is 0.6 degrees C lower than body temperature. So if you have beenadvised to call the GP when the babies temperature is greater than 39degrees C you would only be looking for an external reading of 38.4 orgreater.

First Impressions of your baby
When you see your baby for the first time they will probablyhave a funny shaped head and many have blotchy skin. This is all normaland is due to the birth and having been kept in wet, cramped conditionsfor the last 9 months. All will settle down after a short while. Justremember that you probably won't be looking the best yourself

Naming Your Baby
When you choose a name for your baby it is bound to cause considerablediscussion between your and your partner. Try to take into account howit looks and sounds with your surname. Think how you would like the name, if it was given to you. Also take into account what the initials willspell. But, remember it is all down to personal choice

Locking it away from baby's reach
As soon as your baby starts to move around, it is time to start lockingyour kitchen cupboards. Your baby will take great interest in exploringeverything that is within reach. Take a look in all the cupboards thatare accessible to him or her and see whether potential hazards can bemoved out of reach. i.e.: place pots and pans into a cupboard at the bottomnearest the floor, and move the plates/cups to a cupboard above the worktops.Ensure that you move and lock away all items from under the sink suchas bleach, washing powder etc. Another precaution that you may want toemploy is to fit child locks on the cupboard doors, which can be purchasedfrom any DIY store

Stimulating your baby - motor skills
The best way for your baby to develop its motor skills is bygiving them plenty of opportunity. They will naturally develop skillson their own but the best way for them to increase their strength andcoordination is by being active. Change your baby's sitting position frequentlyfrom back to tummy, from cot to floor, and from supported to eventuallyunsupported. At first they may have difficulty in sitting up unsupportedbut with gradually removing supports such as pillows they will soon gainenough strength to sit upright, alone. Some useful exercises such as suchas standing them on your lap and bouncing, pull to a sitting positionand pull to standing using your fingers all help with your baby's physicaldevelopment.

A natural routine
When your baby first comes home you will be inundated with advise fromfamily and friends. Although most of this will be good advise don't worrytoo much about what your baby should and should not be doing at certaintimes of the day. You're baby, if allowed, will develop his/her own routineall in good time. It takes time for a new born to settle down and realizethemselves when they want to sleep and eat. You don't have to force aroutine

Diaper Changing
If you're using a changing table, strap your baby in for safety. Neverleave your baby unattended or out of your reach.
After unfastening the diaper, use it to wipe away most of a bowel movement,from front to back. Then clean away any urine and remaining feces witha wet cotton ball or diaper wipe. Pat your baby dry with a towel if you'veused a cotton ball. If you're changing a boy's diaper, keep a fresh diaperover his penis as much as you can and aim the penis downward when puttingon a new diaper to keep wetness from drenching his clothing.
Put on the clean diaper. If you're using cloth diapers, they're probablypre-folded and ready to use, but you may need to fold them further untilyour baby gets bigger. (The extra fabric goes in the front for boys andthe back for girls.) Slide the diaper under your baby so his waist alignswith the top edge.
Bring the front up between his legs, and hold it in place while you foldthe sides in toward the center and fasten, by using either a Velcro diapercover or a diaper pin.
Then, if you're not using a diaper cover, put a pair of waterproof pantsover the diaper. Waterproof pants should fit snugly -- but not so snuglythat they irritate your baby's skin.
If you're using disposable diapers: lay the diaper flat, with the tabsat the back. Slide the diaper under your baby so that the top aligns withhis waist. Bring the front up between his legs and tuck it around hisstomach. Unpeel the tabs, pull them firmly over the front flap and fastenthe diaper. (Be sure not to fasten the tape to your baby's skin.) Thediaper should fit snugly, but it shouldn't be tight.
When you're finished, undo the changing table straps and gently pick upyour baby.

Dressing Your Baby
Don't overdress your infant. Although well-meaning people may tell youotherwise, use your own comfort level as a barometer—dress your babyas lightly or heavily as you dress yourself.
Observe the condition of your baby's skin and her degree of fussiness.Her skin condition and her cries will let you know when she is uncomfortable.
Dress your baby in soft, loose-fitting clothing to minimize friction againstthe skin. Avoid rough, course or tight fabrics, bands or straps, especiallyif it’s hot.
After baby's bath, pat dry her skin thoroughly before dressing her, payingspecial attention to the folds and creases in her skin.
Apply lotion or cream to the skin to seal in moisture and use powder toreduce friction before dressing your baby to create a smooth layer betweenyour baby's skin and her clothing.
Before going out into the sun, dress your baby in protective, light coloredclothing and a hat with a brim.

Calming a Crying Baby

Nurse your baby

Rock, sway or walk with the baby in your arms or in a sling or frontcarrier

Stroke your baby's head or tummy, or give a gentle full-body massage.

Patting the baby's back may release a trapped burp

Go outside for a short time. Fresh air and new distractions oftendo the trick

Swaddle your baby snugly in a "security blanket"

Sing or talk

Remember that too much stimulation can overwhelm your baby. Loweryour voice, move more slowly, stop whatever hasn't been working andsimply cuddle your baby in a dimly lit room.

Bathing Your Baby
This is a great opportunity for a "fun time" with your baby!
Be sure the room is warm (but not a sauna) and without drafts.
Have all the articles you will need for the bath and for dressing afterthe bath.
A sponge bath is given until the cord has fallen off and the circumcisionis healed.
A full bath is given only 2-3 times a week. This is a change from dailyfull bath. However, it is a good idea to wash the face and behind theears, neck, hands and bottom on a daily basis.
Don't use soap on baby's face.

Cord Care
The umbilical cord connects the placenta and your growing baby at thenavel (belly button) area. The cord is closed with clamps and is cut shortlyafter birth.
To help the cord dry up so it can fall off (in one to three weeks) andprevent infection, cord care must be done.
Gently move a cotton ball or cotton swab, dipped in alcohol, around thebottom of the cord where it attaches to the navel. Be sure to get thealcohol on both the cord and the skin.
Cord care should be done each time you change a diaper & after bathtime.
Keep the diaper from touching the cord.
Contact your physician if any of the following are noticed: pus comingfrom the cord area, a foul smell coming from the cord area, area aroundthe navel is more red than usual or red streaks on the tummy around thenavel, or if the skin on the stomach around the navel is extra warm tothe touch.

Disclaimer: The Baby Care Tips / Informationpresented and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors anddo not necessarily represent the views of TipsAndTreats.com and/orits partners.

$Page protegida contra copia el contenido del sitio web de infracción por Copyscape$
Copyright © TipsAndTreats.com. Todos los derechos reservados.
La reproducción total o parcial en cualquier forma o medio sin el permiso escrito está prohibida.
El uso de este sitio web está sujeto a los términos y condiciones.
Los enlaces rotos? Problema con el sitio? Enviar email a admin@tipsandtreats.com