Useful Care Tips for Newborns!

Every new mom has deep inside her a unique baby care manual; her maternal instinct. 
Then again, it is reasonable for a new mom to be a little anxious and wonder whether what she feels, hears or reads regarding her child’s care is indeed good and beneficial. In reality, there is no need to worry or panic. 
A careful look at the following tips, along with your maternal instinct, will help you get through the first tough couple of weeks and, as you’ll see, things get much easier by the day. 

Figure Out the Cry 
Crying is actually the baby’s effort to communicate – mostly with the mother. By crying, the infant strives to satisfy a need; maybe he or she is hungry, feels cold or heat, or just wants someone to change his/her diapers!
Since crying is, in reality, a kind of communication, sooner or later you will be able to figure out why your baby cries each time. Therefore, instead of panicking when the baby cries, just try to learn this special language, and soon you will be able to fulfil his/her needs both quickly and efficiently.

Deep and Adequate Sleep 
Babies need both adequate and deep, restful sleep. So, you should prepare a nice, pleasant room for your baby’s rest, with the proper temperature (between 18-28οC), protected from intense noises and aired naturally. Ideally, the baby should be placed in his crib before bedtime. 
It’s never too early to learn good sleeping habits. However, you need to be careful and adhere to the sleeping schedule you have set. The baby’s sleeping routine should consist of complacent, steady and repetitive actions. The child will associate this routine with sleep and will fall asleep more easily and quickly.
Keep in mind that, usually, babies can sense the difference between night and day around the third month of their life, so, eventually, they start to adjust their biological clock and sleep more during the night and less during the day. 
 
What About the Gripes? 
The notorious baby gripes are nothing more than stomach aches associated with the development of the baby’s digestive system and adjustment to nutrition. They usually appear sometime after the second week and most of the times stop long before the fourth month. 
How to deal with them? Many women panic when the first gripes appear, but actually, some tender cuddling on their belly prove very effective most of the times. 

The Value of Breast Milk 
Breast milk is simply irreplaceable for the baby. Breastfeeding is limitless and, you should keep in mind, that during the first few days it is possible for the newborn to breastfeed every two hours, regardless of whether it is day or night. At the end of the first month however, it will start sleeping for longer periods. Nevertheless, each baby is different and might get the same amount of milk at different time periods. Therefore, we cannot set a standard breastfeeding duration for all children.

Mind the Belly Button!  
The baby will lose its so-called “umbilical cord stump” around 10 days after the litter. Till then, make sure to keep that area thoroughly clean with pure alcohol and cover it with sterilized gauze twice a day. Should you see spots of blood on the dipper or clothes after cleaning the stump do not worry. If you notice signs of pus, though, with its characteristic yellowish colour and bad odour, or see that the stump is still there a month or so after the litter, consult your pediatrician immediately.

Baths and Cleaning  
Most babies love warm baths, especially if they are followed by a smooth massage with a hydration cream; just make sure to steer clear from products with alcohol or strong scents. Baths help a lot in alleviating stomach aches and anxiety. As to the notorious cradle cap (seborrheic dermatitis), specialised products applied before the bath can treat it effectively without harming the sensitive skin of the baby.  

The best way to clean gummy eyes is to use a sterilized gauze soaked in sterile saline. Equally important is to clean the baby’s nose with saline solution before breastfeeding, to make sure that possible nasal secretions are removed and breathing is not hindered. For the baby’s ears, it is generally not recommended to use cotton buds, even if they are designed for children. Better ask your paediatrician first. 

In Parapharmacie you can find a great range of baby care products, friendly to the baby’s sensitive skin, free from harmful substances and very effective. Discover them here! 

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