How is breastfeeding important to baby? more info...

Breast milk is the best source of nutrition, particularly for the first six months of life. Human milk provides all the protein, sugar, fat and vitamins your baby needs to be healthy, and contains antibodies from the mother that can help the baby resist infections. Research indicates that breastfed babies may have less-frequent ear infections, allergies, vomiting, diarrhea, pneumonia, bronchitis, meningitis, many childhood cancers and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Research also supports a reduced risk of obesity, high blood pressure and tooth decay later in life.

What are the things to remember in breastfeeding? more info...

  • Breast milk will come in about two to five days after the birth of your infant
  • The glands produce milk in response to the demand made by the baby’s sucking so, the more frequently you nurse, the more milk you will produce
  • When your baby is done, burp and switch breasts. Alternate the breast with which you start each breastfeeding session.
  • Discomfort that persists more than a few minutes may be due to poor positioning
  • Mothers who breastfeed should not smoke and it is important to consult your physician before taking any medications or drugs

What are the proper things to do when burping my baby? more info...

Burping your baby helps remove air swallowed during feeding. You can wait until the end of the feeding or at intervals during the feeding.
Here are three methods of burping your baby:

  • Hold your baby so her head rests on your shoulder and her chest is against yours. Pat her back or rub it upward with your hand.
  • Lay your baby face down on your lap. Rub or pat her back.
  • Hold your baby in a sitting position on your lap with her side toward you. Support her head and back with one hand, chin and chest with the other. Then gently rock her back and forth as if helping him “take a bow”.

How do I manage my baby’s bowel movement and wettings? more info...

Bowel Movement

  • Babies have varying patterns for bowel movement and there is no standard number of bowel movements per day.
  • Breastfed babies may stool four to eight times per day while bottle-fed babies establish their own pattern in the first week of life
  • If the breastfed infant stools less frequently than two to four times a day, it may mean the baby is not getting enough milk
  • As long as the stool is soft, you should not be concerned but sudden increases in frequency may indicate diarrhea

Bladder

  • If urine is pale yellow in color and does not have a strong smell, the baby is wetting enough and receiving enough fluids
  • After the first 24 hours, breastfed infants wet two to five diapers a day before your milk comes in.
  • Once your breast milk is established, your child should have six to eight wet diapers per day. It also holds true with bottle-fed infants.
  • If concerned with urine output, it can be better assessed by placing some cotton balls in the disposable diaper and checking these for wetness

What will I do if the baby is experiencing fussiness? more info...

The usual peak of fussiness is at six weeks in which babies spend an average of two and a half hours crying each day. Recent evidence suggests that responding to the crying baby by meeting its needs could lessen the time spent fussing.

Suggestions that will help you minimize your baby’s crying:

  • Discover why your infant is crying ( hungry, wants to suck although not hungry, wants to be held, bored, tired, wet or dirty diaper, needs to burp)
  • If crying continues for more than five minutes with one response, then try another
  • Give your baby more physical contact and movement (walk, rock, pat)
  • Bundle up your baby or change his position.
  • If all else fails, just let him cry. Often babies fall asleep after a good cry-so allow him up to 20 minutes on his own

Here are the following tips for your baby’s safe and comfortable bathing:

  • For the first few days of your baby, bath time can consist of a gentle once-over with a soft, damp warm washcloth and a mild soap.
  • Once the baby is ready for a full bath, be sure that the room is warm.
  • Stick your elbow in the water and it should feel warmer than your skin but not actually hot.
  • Wash your baby’s face with plain water, a soft cloth and a mild soap.
  • Wash your baby’s head gently, working from front to back.
  • To clean area around the eyes, use cotton dipped in cool water. Clean the outer area of the nose and ear only.

How do I take care of my baby’s cord? more info...

Do’s and Don’ts in handling your baby’s cord:

  • Cord should be kept dry by applying 70 percent isopropyl rubbing alcohol with a Q-tip (cotton buds) onto the navel with every diaper change.
  • Keep the diaper away from the cord area
  • Continue treating the cord area for several days after the separation to allow complete healing
  • Watch for any redness around the navel or any yellow-green drainage which may cause serious infection
  • Do not use belly button bands, coins or tape to “hold the belly button in”

How do I maintain my baby’s skin care? more info...

Tips to make your baby clean and comfortable:

  • Try a small amount of baby lotion. Scented or colored creams and lotions are not recommended due to skin irritations that these may cause.
  • Baby oil on the scalp or skin should be avoided. These preparations tend to clog the skin’s pores and may cause “cradle cap”.
  • Use firm finger pressure over the entire scalp (including the soft spot) and rinse.
  • If you choose to use oil, apply it right before the baby’s bath; comb hair with a fine baby comb, and wash within one hour.
  • In trimming nails, the cuticle that comes out on the underside of the nail will be easily cut. Softening in water and then using an emery board is safe for your baby.

How can smoking during pregnancy and after birth affect my baby? more info...

It has been recognized that smoking during pregnancy contributes to an increased risk for growth retardation of the fetus, prematurity, perinatal mortality, and cancer in childhood. There is good evidence that growth after birth is also affected by exposure to cigarette smoke. There is clearly a much higher incidence of respiratory, throat and ear infections and wheezing in infants and children who are exposed to smoke. Cigarette smoking is also known as one of the contributing factors that cause Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or Crib Death.

What are the usual health problems that might be experienced by my baby? more info...

  • Weight Loss- almost all newborns experience this during the 1st week of life. Babies typically lose up to 10% of their weight after delivery, and do not start gaining weight until the end of their 1st week.
  • Jaundice- up to 2/3 of all infants appears jaundiced on the 2nd and 3rd day of life resulting from the immature liver’s inability to flush bilirubin out of the baby’s blood. By the 7th day, the yellowish skin color begins to disappear.
  • Eyes- newborns frequently have a discharge from their eyes. This is usually due to a plugged tear duct, and the eyelids may become mildly infected when the tears do not cleanse the lids properly.
  • Hiccups- for many infants, it occurs after every feeding. Hiccups are probably due to pressure on the diaphragm from a full stomach and extra swallowed air may contribute to the problem. The best treatment for hiccups is to let them run their course.
  • Vomiting- in the first few hours after birth, vomiting of mucus is common. Vomiting after the first day of life is usually from overfeeding or from failure to sufficiently burp the baby.