Your newborn baby needs a period of a few weeks to adapt to the outside world. In the first weeks, you cannot predict when and what he will do.
Some days he will be more active, sometimes quiet.
What can a newborn baby do?
The newborn baby may cry a lot and show restlessness
Breathing may be irregular
May sneeze, vomit
May startle frequently
Babies are not alike, each baby has different characteristics. For example, some babies are calmer, more harmonious, you can easily predict their needs. Some babies are difficult, their feeding and sleeping hours are irregular, and it is more difficult to calm them down.
Breast-feeding
Find a quiet, comfortable place for you and your baby.
Hold the baby on your lap, facing you
Touch the nipple to the baby's cheek or lower lip, make him open his mouth, and attach it to the breast.
While breastfeeding, not only the nipple but also the dark colored area around it should be in the baby's mouth. Otherwise, the suction will cause cracks in the nozzle and will hurt you.
When breastfeeding is finished, if the baby does not leave the breast, remove the nipple from the baby's mouth by placing your little finger in his mouth. If you do not do this, it may hurt you.
At each breastfeeding, make sure that the baby finishes the milk from one side first, and if he wants to suckle more, give him the milk from the other breast.
A newborn baby may want to breastfeed 8-12 times in 24 hours, that is, every 2-3 hours. But do not be afraid, this frequency will gradually decrease!
It will be sufficient for the breastfeeding mother to use water to clean her nipples.
Between feedings, milk may leak from the breasts and it will be necessary to use pads to keep the nipples dry.
What should be done if breasts are swollen and painful?
Breastfeed the baby more often
Take a warm shower or apply a warm towel to the chest
If you have breast tenderness, redness, or feel like you have the flu, call your doctor.
Farting
Removing the air that the baby swallows while sucking will relax him. It is appropriate to burp in the middle and at the end of breastfeeding, because the air swallowed may disturb the baby and prevent him from sucking further.
To burp, place the baby on your shoulder or on your lap, or have him sit on your lap, gently pat or pat his back.
Most babies can also expel some of what they suck on while burping. This is not real vomiting, there is no need to worry. Just protecting your own clothing with a handkerchief will be enough.
Belly Care
It is necessary to keep the umbilical cord clean to prevent the development of infection. For this; At each diaper change, you should wipe the cord, especially the base, with a Q-tip dipped in alcohol or another antiseptic solution recommended by your doctor. This procedure does not hurt the baby.
Tie the baby's diaper from below, leaving the umbilical cord outside, until the belly button falls. Do not bathe the baby by putting it in water, just wipe it.
Bottom Care
Your newborn baby may wet 6-8 diapers a day (fortunately, this frequency will decrease later).
While some babies poop once a day, some will poop after each feeding, both are normal.
The stool, which is dark green and black in the first days, will turn into a yellow-green, soft consistency in the following days (It is normal for the baby to have soft and watery stool, it does not mean diarrhea). Babies fed with formula have more viscous stool.
You can prevent diaper rash by changing the diaper immediately when it gets dirty and cleaning your baby's diaper thoroughly.
If there is any redness underneath, clean it and let it air dry. You can use creams containing zinc oxide recommended by your doctor.
For baby girls, be sure to clean their diaper from front to back. There may be a white discharge in the first few weeks, this is normal.
In male babies, do not try to pull the foreskin back and clean it.
Clothes
Dress the baby according to seasonal conditions, considering what kind of clothes you will be comfortable in.
Do not wrap the baby in winter blankets while walking around in a thin T-shirt! Excessive dressing and wrapping makes the baby uneasy.
Check the baby's chest or back to see if he or she is cold, as his or her hands and feet will often be cold.
Security
Even a newborn baby moves, never leave him alone in a place such as a sofa or a changing table. If you are going to leave him, either put him in his bed or take the baby with you.
Protect the baby from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat.
Do not smoke or allow drinking near the baby. The frequency of respiratory tract and ear infections increases in babies exposed to smoking.
Never drink hot drinks while the baby is on your lap or breastfeeding.
When laying down, do not lie face down.
Do not leave the baby alone with another small child.
To prevent suffocation, do not keep pillows, large toys, or plastic bags in your baby's bed.
When traveling by car, use a car seat appropriate for the baby's age and weight. To make the newborn baby comfortable, you can support him or her with rolled towels around the edges. While the car is in motion, do not take the crying baby out of his seat to calm him down or breastfeed him; stop the vehicle if necessary. Never leave the baby alone in the car.
Development
The newborn's five senses are developing day by day. Its head is large and heavy, its neck muscles are weak and it needs support.
What Can Your Newborn Baby Do?
He can raise his head briefly while lying on his stomach.
If he sits down, his head falls.
It can see a distance of approximately 20 cm.
He mostly likes to look at faces and bright, contrasting colors.
He hears loud sounds and gets startled.
He likes to hear your voice, and you can calm him down by talking.
He/she tastes, smells and feels.
He recognizes his mother's scent.
What Can You Do to Support the Baby?
All babies need love and warmth. Don't think that you are spoiling him by hugging him! Hug them often, hug them, show your love. Develop the basic sense of trust by meeting their needs on time. The baby, who is responded to when he cries and whose distress is resolved, will have a safe start in life and develop self-confidence.
Support his head with your hand while holding it.
Hold the baby close so he can see your face.
Show him bright, contrasting colored objects.
Talk to him, sing lullabies and songs.
Sleep
Babies' sleep patterns vary. In the first months, he will usually spend 15-18 hours a day sleeping.
May be awake for up to 30 minutes in 4 hours.
Doesn't know the difference between night and day (Worst news for parents!)
Over time, a certain sleeping and waking pattern will occur, and he will start sleeping for 1-3 hours during the day and 3-6 hours at night.
The baby should be placed on its side or back while sleeping.
Since the baby will wake up frequently at night, it would be good for the mother to at least try to rest while the baby is sleeping, day or night. If the mother tries to do the housework during the baby's sleep and is sleepless at night, it will be difficult for her to withstand this pace.
Support the baby to understand the difference between night and day. During the day, when he is awake, play with him, talk to him, try to give him a warning. At night, be as quiet and calm as possible, do not stimulate the baby too much, do not play with him.
Cry
Crying is the baby's way of communicating with you, don't worry about it, babies cry because they can't talk yet!
In the first weeks, babies can cry 2-3 hours a day.
In fact, crying gradually increases during the first 6-8 weeks.
Some babies cry for 10-15 minutes before falling asleep.
There may be different cries for different reasons. Over time, you will begin to distinguish this. However, not every cry may have a specific reason, and sometimes the baby may cry for no reason.
If you respond to the baby's cry immediately, he will know that you are with him. You will not spoil the baby by doing this.
When your newborn baby cries; If you have tried all the options of feeding him, changing his diaper, hugging him and calming him down and he is still crying, you can put him in his bed for a while and wait for him to calm down. Remember to keep him under observation until he calms down. Over time, you will gain experience on what to do when crying and you will even begin to give advice to those who become parents after you!
