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| Newborn Care |
| The American Academy of Pediatrics promotes " Back to Sleep" in an effort to promote back or side positions when putting the baby to bed. There is evidence that the incidence of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) is decreased when babies are placed in these sleeping positions. Contradictions to these sleeping positions would be infants with gastroesophageal reflux or upper airway problems. Feeding time is a baby's first pleasant experience. During feeding time the baby receives nourishment from their food and nurturing from their parents. Food, when correctly given, helps babies grow healthy and strong and a parents love helps them feel secure. Feeding time should be a comfortable time. Your baby will be more comfortable if they are not overdressed or too warm. Sit in a comfortable chair and hold your baby with their head slightly raised resting in the bend of your elbow. Hold the baby comfortably close whether you are bottle feeding or breast feeding. Please do not change your baby's formula without our advice. If you have concerns regarding your baby's eating habits, either call the office or discuss it during the baby's well visit. It is important for your newborn to have a flexible feeding schedule such as on demand and baby's are allowed to eat when they are hungry. Bottle fed babys eat every 3-4 hours as a rule, and it is better not to wake a baby to eat unless they go longer than four hours. Breast fed baby's will normally eat one and a half to two hours until the milk supply is established. |
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| All babies will yawn, burp, sneeze, cough, hiccup, pass gas and cry. Sneezing clears the baby's nose of mucous. Coughing clears the baby's throat. Hiccups are spasms of the diaphragm. Crying is a way of communicating. After a short while you will learn what each different cry from your baby means. Even a newborn baby will cry for a short time during the day without harm. |
| Newborn Behavior |
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| Burping is a way to remove swallowed air. Burp your baby by holding baby in a sitting position and leaning baby slightly forward supporting the head under the jaw and rubbing the back gently. Another way is to place your baby face down across your lap and rub the baby's back gently. |
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| There are varying degrees of normal bowel patterns ranging from 8-10 small stools per day to one stool every 6-7 days, usually depending on whether the baby is breast fed or bottle fed. Bottle fed babies will on an average have one stool everyday up to 3-5 stools everyday. Breast fed babies on an average can stool after every feeding to one stool every few days. Some babies will "strain" passing stool. If the stool is not hard or pellet like in appearance this is normal. |
| Bowel Habits |
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| Feeding solid foods to your baby should not occur before the age of 4 months as it could interfere with good eating habits and cause obesity later in life and predispose your child to certain allergies. |
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| Bathing your Baby |
| You should have a regular time for bathing your baby. Keep the room warm with no drafts. Save yourself time by keeping all your bathing supplies together. Give the baby a sponge bath until the umbilical cord has fallen off and after about 48 hours after the cord has come off it is safe to give the baby a tub bath. Wash the face with warm water, soft cloth and no soap. Wash the eyes from inside corner outward with soft cloth, no soap. Wash the nose on the outside areas, use bulb syringe to suction mucus from inside of nostrils. Wash the outer area of ears only. No Q-tips Wash the scalp with mild baby shampoo. Wash the body with mild baby soap, soft cloth and rinse body well. Wash the navel area with mild soap and water or clean area with alcohol. There may be some oozing or specks of blood which is normal. If the cord area becomes inflammed, red or has a foul odor, call the office immediately. Wash circumcision with warm water, use provided ointment from hospital around the area to help heal and to keep from sticking to diaper. Pull skin back to prevent penile adhesions. Wash diaper area with warm water, soap and soft cloth, rinse well. Use alcohol free babywipes and barrier cream between bath times. |
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| Feeding Solids |
| Disclaimer: Information on this site is to be used as a guideline and as a substitute for medical treatment from a licensed physician. |
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| Poison Control in Nebraska: 1-800-222-1222 955-5555 Iowa 1-800-955-9119 |