Having a baby for the first time invokes a lot of emotions. You feel happy yet fear at the same time because you still do not know what to do. You feel excited yet you also feel anxious because you are delving into the unknown. These are just some of the emotions a mother can feel when she has her “my first baby moments.”
Being that this is your first baby, you should not entrust everything to motherly instincts. You should also do some research and studies on the essentials in taking care of a baby. After all, your baby will be depending on you for its comfort as well as its survival.
The most basic concerns that mothers should be focusing on especially on their baby’s first couple of weeks are feeding and sleeping.
Feeding Your Baby
Having adequate nourishment is essential to your baby’s proper development that is why he or she needs to be fed with the right amount of milk at the right time.
You can give your baby ready to feed formula. It is safe and healthy. However, you must not mix this with water because your baby might not get sufficient calories. On the other hand, the concentrated formula should be mixed with water in a 1 is to 1 ratio.
Usually, after a couple of weeks, your baby will be able to consume more or less a quart of formula each day. You should also check if your baby manifests symptoms such as frequent vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or rashes as this may mean that the formula is not fit for him or her and may need to be changed. This is also the reason why it is still highly suggested that you breastfeed your baby if possible as this is better than any milk or formula in the market.
The proper feeding time of a baby typically has a 2 to 3 hour interval. A common sign that you should look out for is crying that can’t be hushed through lullabies.
You can also check if your baby is having adequate nourishment or not. A properly nourished baby will usually have a wet diaper during the 2 to 3 hour interval and the color of the urine should be clear. The stool is soft and yellow in color. Breast-fed babies will typically pass tools 6 times in a day while bottle-fed ones may pass stools every three days.
Sleeping
Babies sleep normally for a length of 10 to 23 hours a day. Any less of the minimum can be detrimental to your baby’s development. Here are some tips on how you can help your baby achieve the normal length of sleep he or she needs:
* Make sure that your baby has completed his or her rituals before you put him or her to sleep. This includes feeding, burping, and diaper change.
* Wrap your baby securely so as to prevent him or her from doing excessive movements that can disturb his or her sleep. This will also provide your baby warmth.
* Place your baby in a supine position. Studies show that letting your baby sleep on his or her back is the safest position for him or her and lessens the occurrence of Sudden Infant Death.
Feeding and sleeping are just two of “my first baby essentials.” Basically, these are your main responsibilities for the first couple of weeks.
