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To take care of the newborn at home, parents need to dedicate a lot of time to the baby, as he is very small and fragile and needs a lot of attention.
Therefore, parents should take some basic care to maintain the newborn's comfort and ensure that it grows strong and healthy, such as: feeding correctly, changing diapers frequently and bathing at least 3 times a week.
The following are the 7 essential cares to take care of the newborn at home in the best possible way:
1. How to prepare the baby's room
The baby's room should be simple and always clean, to avoid the accumulation of dust and bacteria that are harmful to health. The essential and recommended equipment for the room are:
- 1 changing mat to change the diaper and easily dress and undress the baby;
- 1 comfortable chair or armchair for the mother to breastfeed;
- 1 closet for baby clothes and bed linen;
- 1 cot or bed, which must have a waterproof mattress and cotton sheets and blankets and crates less than 6 cm apart.
In addition, the room must be spacious and airy, maintaining a comfortable temperature, which can vary between 20º C and 22º C. The floor must not have rugs or many toys, mainly plush, as they accumulate more dust, facilitating the appearance of allergies.
2. How to dress the newborn properly
The baby's clothes should be made of cotton, without ribbons, hair, elastics or buttons and, if possible, 2 separate pieces should be worn, such as a blouse and pants, as it is easier to dress and change.
To avoid irritation of the baby's skin, all labels should be cut and only one more piece of clothing that the parents are wearing should be worn, for example, if the parents are wearing 2 sweaters, the baby should have 3. In winter the outer clothing should be wool, as it is warmer and the summer clothing should be all cotton, as it helps the skin to breathe better.
In addition, baby clothes should be washed apart from adults' clothes and drying should, ideally, be done on the dryer because it makes it softer. If it is preferable to leave the clothes to dry naturally, the baby's clothes should dry inside the house, to avoid catching pollution from the outside. See some more tips on how to dress the baby.
3. How to bathe the baby
The newborn should bathe 3 times a week and whenever it is dirty and the bath should be done with water only for the first 15 days. From there, you can use soap with neutral pH and without alcohol and you don't need to use shampoo, washing your hair with the same product for the body.
To carry out your newborn's hygiene it is necessary:
- Bathtub, shantala bucket or hot tub with a maximum of 20 cm of water at 37º;
- Compresses and saline to clean the eyes and nose;
- Soft and lint-free towel;
- Scissors with round tips, if it is necessary to cut the nails;
- Brush or comb for hair;
- Change clothes, which must be open and arranged in the order in which they are to be worn;
- 1 clean diaper to change;
- Creams, only in some cases, for dry skin or diaper erythema, for example.
The bath should be quick, not exceeding 10 minutes so as not to change the composition of the baby's skin and can be given at any time of the day except after breastfeeding. See step-by-step instructions for bathing the baby.
4. How to clean the baby's navel or umbilical stump
The umbilical stump, which is the rest of the umbilical cord that remains in the baby's navel, must be disinfected at least once a day, after bathing. To do the cleaning, follow the step-by-step:
- Put alcohol at 70º in a sterile compress;
- Hold the stump clip with one hand;
- Clean the umbilical stump in the region with skin for the clip, passing the compress only once and throwing it in the trash next.
After dropping the umbilical cord, you should continue cleaning with saline solution until it is completely dry and without injury and the diaper must be folded under the navel, to prevent urine or feces from reaching the navel and causing an infection.
5. How should the food be
The newborn is normally fed through breast milk which is the best food for the healthy development of the baby. However, in some cases, the newborn needs to be fed artificial milk:
Breastfeeding
The baby should breastfeed whenever he wants, so there is no defined frequency for breastfeeding, however, it is common for the baby to be hungry every 2 or 3 hours during the day, and should not spend more than 4 hours without eating , even at night.
Each feeding takes an average of 20 minutes, being faster at first and then slower.
The mother can breastfeed while sitting or lying down, the important thing is that the mother feels comfortable and that the baby is able to get an adequate breast grip. Check how to know if the baby is breastfeeding properly and how to breastfeed.
Baby bottle with artificial milk
When the woman does not produce enough milk or when the baby has some other specific need, it may be necessary to give artificial formula in addition to the maternal formula. However, the use of artificial milk should only be started after the pediatrician's indication.
To give the bottle you need to prepare the milk and for that you must:
- Boil water for 5 minutes;
- Pour the water into the bottle and let it cool to room temperature;
- Pour the powdered milk, with 1 shallow spoon corresponding to 30 ml of water;
- Shake the bottle until the liquid is homogeneous;
- Give the baby milk in a glass or bottle and, to give it, you must support the head and back on the arm and keep the baby in a semi-seated position and keeping the teat filled with milk.
In the end, the baby should be eructed to release the excess air that may be in the stomach. For this, it is necessary to place it upright and give small pats on the back.
6. How to understand why the baby is crying
Crying is the main way that the baby has to alert the parents of some discomfort, such as dirty diapers, hunger or fear and, therefore, knowing how to identify the type of crying is important to be able to calm the baby more quickly.
To understand crying, one must pay attention to the sound and movements of the baby's body, which normally help to identify the reason for crying.
Reason for crying | Choro description |
Pain or colic | A short, high-pitched cry, very loud, for a few seconds without crying but with a red face and hands closed, which does not stop you from even holding yourself. The pain can be caused by colic, which is more common up to 4 months, especially in babies who drink artificial milk. |
Hunger | She sobs and moves her head to the sides, keeping her mouth open. |
Fear or boredom | He whimpers but calms down when talking to him or holding him. |
Tiredness | It is a typical cry at the end of the day and the newborn cries, moaning and frowning and frowning. |
Some ways that can help to calm the newborn include looking for a calm environment, having a massage, breastfeeding or wrapping it in a blanket. Learn more techniques at: 6 Ways to make your baby stop crying.
7. How to keep the newborn safe
The best way to keep the newborn safe on the site is to never leave him alone, as he is still very small and fragile. However, other important security measures include:
- Always check the temperature of any object or food that comes into contact with the baby, to avoid burns;
- Always lay the baby on its back, touching the bottom of the bed with its feet and keeping the bedding attached to the baby's armpit, to avoid suffocation;
- Transport the baby in a car seat belonging to the 0+ group, which is suitable for the baby's weight and size.
- Lock the cart or egg whenever it is stopped and do not place it high, to avoid falls;
- In the car, put the car seat in the back seat, preferably in the middle seat, with your back to the direction of traffic and in the case of the car having only 2 seats, the child can be transported in front, however it is necessary to disable the car seat system. air bag;
- Avoid contact with animals with fur, as it can cause respiratory allergies.
All these cares help the newborn to be safe and to grow in a healthier way, avoiding the appearance of complications and even some diseases.
Created by: Tua Saúde Editorial Team