5 Tips For Nurturing A Newborn Baby

Nurturing a newborn baby can feel overwhelming to a new parent (or parents-to-be). You’ll love these quick tips to get you less anxious about your new baby and get a jump on newborn care basics!

Having a baby is one of the most beautiful things that could happen in a parent’s life. Yet, it is also one of the most challenging.

Raising your newborn child is not easy. It takes a lot of effort and patience to nurture your child until he or she reaches the stage of complete development. Though some of the time this task is can be quite challenging, the joys certainly outweigh any negatives.

Here are some suggestions for successful baby nurturing:

Nurturing A Newborn Baby

1. Feeding

Breastfeeding is recommended for the first year of a newborn’s life. This is to give the baby the optimum sustenance to grow and progress.

Generally speaking, the newborn child should be breastfed about 8 to 10 times a day during the baby’s first few weeks.

As a parent, it is necessary that you know when your baby is getting the proper nourishment needed. Some indications that your baby is feeding well is when he or she is having four or more wet diapers a day or having a bowel movements 3 times or more a day.

Should breastfeeding become a source of frustration or stress for you or your baby, don’t beat yourself up over transitioning to a bottle. Nurturing a newborn sometimes means mom has to take care of herself to be a good mom to her new baby.

2. Sleep

Don’t be surprised if your newborn spends the majority of their time sleeping. It is common for infants to sleep most of the time, around 12 to 20 hours a day.

When putting your baby to rest, it is advised by most doctors that you put your baby on his/her back, on a firm mattress.

During cold weather, it is best that you dress your baby with warm pajamas to keep him warm rather than using a bedspread.

3. Bowel movements

Determining if your newborn child is having a bowel movement is easy. It is usually apparent when he starts to become quite hard to please, his face turns red, and he starts to cry and tends to move his legs.

It is natural for newborn babies to pass a lot of gas so don’t be surprised if this happens often.

If your baby is breastfeeding, it is quite normal that he will pass stools a couple of times a day.

On the other hand, babies that are formula fed do not pass stools quite as frequently.

Should you ever see any signs of blood in the stool of your baby, immediately give your baby’s physician a call.

If you’d like more information about what to expect with your newborn’s bowel movements, check out this article about newborn poop.

4. Dressing your newborn

Providing your baby with the proper clothing is very important. Keep in mind that you should use clothing that is comfortable and appropriate.

During cold season, you should clothe your baby with knit caps and booties.

Though parents often want their baby to look fashionable, it is better not to overdress your newborn. Babies struggle to regulate their body temperature and therefore rely on layers of clothing to stay the right temperature.

5. Baby’s day out

Taking your newborn out on the town or to a friends can be fun. However, you need to consider when and where you can take your baby. Limit outings to nice days.

It is important to keep your baby away from people with colds or any other form of illness. Also, avoid direct sunlight for this may harm your baby’s skin. In addition, avoid taking your baby to crowded places while your baby is only a couple of months old.

To sum it up, proper nurturing of your newborn child is a rewarding experience. You’re not only able to personally attend to your child’s needs, but you also get to enjoy quality time where you and your baby can bond together.

Now, do you feel more confident in nurturing a newborn baby? Let me know if these tips helped you feel less overwhelmed.

Or, if you’re still feeling stressed about nurturing a newborn baby, why not leave a comment and share what makes you anxious. Let’s work through it together!