How to Care for Newborns: Parents, Avoid These Five Common Mistakes
Every newborn baby is a precious angel, and taking care of them is an exhausting task, often leaving new parents feeling overwhelmed. These seven pieces of advice hope to help new parents better care for their newborns.
Five Common Mistakes in Newborn Care:
Letting the Baby Sleep Through the Night
It's common for young parents to feel relieved and excited when their newborn sleeps through the night on their first night home. However, pediatric experts often react differently to this situation: "Oh no, you can't let the baby sleep like that!" Experts emphasize that newborns under two weeks of age should not sleep through the night. Parents should feed the baby every four hours. Newborns can become dehydrated if they go for long periods without feeding. Moreover, if a baby can sleep for more than eight hours at a stretch, it's highly likely that they have a severe case of jaundice, and they may be too tired to wake up and cry for feeding. Experts recommend maintaining the four-hour feeding schedule for at least the first two weeks or until the baby has shown significant weight gain, allowing them to sleep through the night.
Ignoring the Baby's Feeding Cues
Some parents rigidly stick to a feeding schedule based on time. However, babies are smarter than we think. Breastfed or formula-fed, they know when they're hungry and when they're full. As long as parents follow the principle of feeding every four hours, they can adjust the timing to the baby's actual needs.
Taking the Baby to Crowded Places
Some parents like to take their newborns to crowded shopping malls or busy banquets. Pediatric experts stress that this is a wrong approach. Exposing a fragile newborn to a germ-filled environment increases the risk of fever, which is a significant concern. When a baby has a fever, regardless of its severity, they must be taken to the hospital for a medical examination. However, more troublesome is that germs encountered during this period may lead to potentially fatal infections.
Keeping the Baby Locked Indoors
While exposing the baby to crowded places is not a good idea, keeping the baby confined to home for six whole weeks is also a mistake. Staying home with a baby who can't speak and only cries can lead to postpartum depression for mothers, which is harmful to both mother and baby's health. Experts recommend taking regular walks with the newborn in less crowded and cleaner environments. This helps improve the mother's mental well-being and boosts the baby's immune system.
Not Trusting Your Instincts
Sometimes, even without clear symptoms, mothers may have a nagging feeling that something is wrong with the baby. Unfortunately, they often heed the advice of others, thinking that the baby is fine, which can lead to a delay in seeking medical help. Experts stress that mothers should trust their instincts. If they suspect the baby is unwell, they should seek medical attention promptly.
Newborn Care Guidelines:
Maintain a Comfortable Temperature
Over-bundling the baby can cause them to overheat, which may lead to fever. A newborn's normal body temperature should not exceed 37.5 degrees Celsius.
Minimize Irritation, Protect the Baby's Skin
Newborns are prone to skin issues in areas such as the armpits, neck, inner thighs, and diaper-covered regions. Parents need to closely monitor and protect these areas. Ensure that baby items are clean and soft, free of hard zippers and labels. Wash your hands before touching the baby. Avoid letting anyone other than the parents kiss the newborn, and do not feed directly from the mouth.
For newborn eczema, keep the area around the rash dry and clean. If the skin is already broken, avoid using talcum powder, as it can worsen the symptoms. Mothers should refrain from eating seafood and eggs and can apply tea tree oil or olive oil for local skin care. If the symptoms persist, consult a doctor.
For infantile dermatitis, seek prompt medical attention because some rashes caused by bacterial infections can lead to serious systemic illnesses. Therefore, closely observe the baby's overall condition.
Frequent Diaper Changes and Avoiding Diaper Rash
Change diapers regularly, clean with warm water after each bowel movement, and provide some diaper-free time daily to allow the baby's bottom to breathe and soak in some sunshine. Proper care often results in a quick recovery.
Interpret Baby's Stool
A newborn's stool starts as meconium, which is dark green to black. After 3-4 days, it transitions to grassy green and then quickly to yellow. If a baby has not passed stool in the first 24 hours, consult a doctor. Normal stool should be soft and pale yellow to golden yellow, occurring 1-5 times a day. Babies fed with breast milk typically have softer and more frequent stools. If there is a sudden change in stool frequency or appearance, consult a doctor.
Feed Promptly and Minimize Spit-Up
Feeding should be timely and adequate. If breastfeeding, follow the baby's cues and nurse on demand. For formula-fed babies, ensure that bottles and feeding equipment are cleaned and sterilized. Those preparing formula should wash their hands before handling the feed. Choose an appropriately sized nipple for the bottle to facilitate sucking. Increase the feeding amount as the days progress. Due to the baby's developing digestive system, they may experience reflux and spit-up. To minimize this, feed the baby in an upright position and burp the baby afterward to help release trapped air and reduce the chances of spitting up.
Keep the Umbilical Cord Clean and Dry
Newborns often have their umbilical cords tied off by a doctor, and it typically falls off within 7-14 days. Hospital staff will help care for it during the hospital stay, but parents should watch for signs of infection at home. If the cord is damp or has discharge, clean it with a cotton swab to remove any dirt and keep it dry.
Monitor Jaundice and Seek Medical Attention
Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes, can be common in newborns, typically appearing 3-5 days after birth and starting to resolve around day 7. It usually clears up within the first two weeks. If jaundice appears too early, persists for too long, or is severe, consult a doctor.
