Taking home a newborn for the first time was an intimidating but proud moment for me as a new mother. Love and a kind of happiness, which I never felt before, suddenly knocked on my door. More love brought in more responsibilities and more anxiety along with it. I could not afford to laze off in bed on a Saturday Afternoon or eat instant noodles for lunch when I did not felt like cooking. Before being a mom, life was only about me and my independence, so I felt sorry for people whose life revolved only around their children. I never thought that I could be one of those mothers who were so obsessed with their kids. As a new mom, I am more vigilant about my baby’s needs and health than I ever could have been for myself.
Even with these life upturning events, it is a surreal feeling that from now on, you will be called a mom bestowed with the noble responsibility of nurturing a human life!
And this nurturing always need not be perfect. Even if you have days when you are reluctant to be a super mom does not mean that you are not one. Your baby’s smile and yearning for you will always yield a certificate that you are the best one. Remember, you never need that certificate from anybody else.
One year with my baby had taught me many intricacies of a child’s nurturing, which I was oblivious of at the beginning of my parenthood journey.
So, there are a few crucial tips that I want you to share with all the new moms who are taking home their newborn home for the first time.
Tips for taking home a newborn
1.Learn to swaddle a baby while you are in the hospital:
In the hospital, nurses used to swaddle my baby most of the time.Make the most of that time and learn how to swaddle a baby by observing them. It will help when you are at home with no nurse available at the press of a button.
Most of the babies love swaddling. It provides them the same comfort of the womb and so they are not startled when sleeping in an outside environment. Mine used to sleep peacefully for 3 hours post a warm bath and swaddled in a soft cotton cloth.
2.Avoid bathing the newborn till the umbilical cord dries off:
A newborn’s umbilical cord is prone to infections. Give them a sponge bath till their umbilical cord dries off. Doctors usually prescribe a powder for it to drop off easily and quickly.
Even after the umbilical cord dries off, do not be tempted to bathe them daily in winters. Bathing daily can rip off the moisture from their skin. It is sufficient to clean them once in 2-3 days as they are usually resting on the bed and do not need to wash themselves off so frequently.
It is customary to preserve the newborn’s dried umbilical cord in a few places as it brings good luck to the family. You can too if you like it.
3.Avoid too many visitors for an initial couple of weeks:
Babies can easily catch infection during this period. Try to restrict too many visitors in your place during the initial one month at least. Visitors usually take many stops, maybe to buy gifts for your baby before meeting them. With the same outside attire, they cuddle your baby that can increase the risk of infection.
My baby had an infection in the umbilical cord, so my doctor advised me to restrict visitors till the umbilical cord dries off.
Anyway, if they insist, ask them to change into washed clothes before handling the baby.
4.Babies like a warm atmosphere:
Dress up your baby with an extra layer of clothing with what you are wearing to keep them a bit warm and cozy. Ensure that they are always wearing a vest inside their t-shirt or top in all the seasons.
5.Do not be scared off by newborn’s hiccup:
I was distressed with my newborn’s hiccup in her initial days, but supposedly I was overthinking. Newborns are not much uncomfortable with hiccups and it is quite a normal occurrence during their growth spurts. So, that should not be a cause of worry most of the time. If it is bothering you too much, ask for a pediatrician’s opinion as well.
My elders believed that as babies’ appetite increases with their growth they have more frequent hiccups. Who knows this is true or not?
A sudden shock can sometimes abolish a hiccup is what we hear most of the time. But please refrain from hitting your baby out of the blue as it can be harmful 😀
6.Babies poop are watery if they breastfeed:
Initially, I was a bit anxious after seeing the runny poop of my baby. To my relief, the doctor confirmed that my baby does not have diarrhoea, and breastfed babies usually have a runny poop with some white seeds-like texture
Additionally, before starting solids, my baby pooped once in 3-4 days about which the doctor was quite ok.
But I had a trick when she went on without pooping for 3-4 days at a stretch. I used to give her 30ml of formula milk and within six hours she used to poop. It was not my doctors’ advice as she was strictly against the formula milk for the initial six months. Hopefully, she never reads this article.👀
Also Read:Advice for new mom
7.Babies spit up a lot:
It does not always imply that you are overfeeding your baby if they spit up a lot.
They have a tiny stomach, so they generally spit even after small activities. Just try to rub their back and make them burp after every feed to digest the food properly.
Additionally, make sure that the color of your baby’s spit should be white or off-white. Consult your doctor immediately in case of any different color.
8.You will have to make an effort for them to sleep in the night:
My baby was a fan of bouncing in the initial days, so it took a lot of effort for us to make her sleep in the night.
Additionally, teach them the difference between day and night from the beginning. Never make a darkroom in the daytime or restrict your day to day activities when they sleep. Likewise, try to have a noise-free environment during the nighttime and dim the lights so that they know it’s time to sleep.
9.Buy one size larger clothes always:
Babies grow up too fast, so 0-3 months size clothes were not useful for my baby even when she was two months old. Buy most of the clothes of size 3-6 months to make a newborn comfy at home.
10.No talcum powder for the babies:
Though talcum powder makes the babies smell fresh, they are serious even if inhaled in small quantities. Applying moisturizers for their smooth skin works wonders but do not be lured to buy talcum powders for your babies unless advised by a doctor.
Also Read:Top 7 myths around baby care
11.If possible, use water instead of baby wipes:
My baby had an occasional occurrence of diaper rash till 6 months of age. But once I completely switched to just using plain water after every diaper change, her diaper rash issue completely vanished. Maybe this tip will work for many of us.
To wrap up this article,I would like to share my thought on human babies. It is astounding that they are the only species who are so much dependent on their caretakers. Their dependency on us for every small activity of theirs makes our life so much memorable with them. So go ahead,try to relish these moments with your little ones and make up your memories. After all, these kids grow up so fast. 😁
Happy Parenting and congrats for taking home a newborn!