Pregnancy is a time where you are preparing for your new bundle of joy.  It is good to learn about a variety of baby care and necessities that will come in handy.  As a new parent, you want the best for your baby, with a safe and secure environment.  It helps to be able to anticipate their needs so that you can provide for their health and well-being.

These tips use the advice of experts and the experience of other parents.

Baby Care

  • When you hold your baby, maintain eye contact and speak calmly. When you pick them up, place one hand under their head and another under their trunk, lifting gently. Make sure your touch is gentle but firm, providing support and the feeling of being secure.
  • Change your baby’s diaper often, keeping them comfortable and preventing irritation.
  • The baby changing table is a wonderful thing!  It saves your back and makes for a convenient station where you can tend to your baby’s diaper changes.  However, take extreme care as your baby grows, to avoid accidents, as babies soon start to move and roll. Most changing pads have a built-in belt to prevent your baby from rolling off the surface.
  • Before putting on a new diaper, wipe gently and thoroughly, so that your baby is clean and dry.
  • If you use soap, make sure that it is a natural baby soap. It is no longer advised to use a talcum powder, as it could be inhaled.
  • If your baby is afraid of the baby bathtub, it helps to use toys and slowly fill the tub with bathwater.
  • Possessing a humidifier for baby in a nursery area can truly be a fantastic.  It helps with colds and can eliminate health issues during seasons that dry and/or hot.

Baby Food

  • Newborns have a very small stomach; therefore, the amount of milk that they can consume is also small. The intervals between feedings should be as your baby requires. All pediatricians recommend breastfeeding on demand (with exceptions for illness).
  • Many babies spit up after nursing or taking a bottle. This is normal. There is no reason to worry, as spitting up is common. 
  • Sometimes, your baby may not satisfied after nursing a long time. This can happen because of a poor latch; check to see if the baby is properly latched.  You can meet with a pediatrician or lactation consultant if you are having issues with breastfeeding.
  • If you have twins, it is very normal that at first babies cry more than others when they are hungry because they have to wait their turn. You can try placing each in your chest at the same time.  This goes for bottle-feeding as well.
  • Ideally, each twin has its own rhythm, i.e. when requested. If one is still sleeping, leave them until they wake up. Gradually they are approaching schedules.
  • There are babies who sleep nurse. They are likely not that hungry, or were still half asleep. In this case, you can “dream feed” them, in which you do not wake them, but you can still feed them.
  • It is not advisable to give anything other than milk in the beginning, and be sure to prepare formula or bottled breast milk so that it has minimal air in it.  It helps to have a good bottle, and to keep it inclined so that the air bubbles float up.
  • For five or ten minutes after breastfeeding, babies show a special interest in their environment. If they cry after eating, it can be due to gas or wanting attention.
  • Burping is not mandatory, but most babies feel better after being burped. To help, support them upright or pat their back. If gasses are causing severe pain, you should consult your pediatrician.