Baby Care Tips For First Time Mothers

Monday, July 8, 2013, 15:42 [IST]

It is not easy being a first time mother. First of all, you have no experience. Secondly, you are totally racked up with the experience of giving birth. In short, you are still reeling from the absolute unreality of the fact that you have now become a mother and have a little newborn baby who is completely dependent on you. What you need at this point of time are the right baby care tips.

Most first time mothers take baby care tips from books and look them up on the Internet. However, you will get the best baby care tips from mother and grandmothers who have the experience of handling newborn babies. Centuries go by and there are many medical advancements, but nothing helps as much as some old fashioned native wisdom when it comes to handling babies.

Elderly women or your friends who have had babies before can tell you everything that you need to know. So consult them but use your own brains too. Do not get intimidated just because you are a first time mother. Here are some baby care tips that you can use just in case you need some first hand knowledge.

Motherhood can be a scary experience and these baby care tips will help you ride out the initial panic and make the happiest memories of those early days as 'mom'.

Get Rid Of Fear

Most women have never ever help a newborn baby in their lives. Your bundle of joy looks so tender and delicate that you are terrified of doing something wrong. Get rid of the fear and trust your natural maternal instincts; they can never be wrong.

Hold The Baby Right

Ask the nurses or doctors who come to attend you, to teach how to hold a newborn baby. The standard way to hold a newborn baby is to support your baby's neck with one arm and hold the legs with the other.

Feed Every Few Hours

Feeding your baby the colostrum that your breasts secrete for the first 2 days after birth is very healthy. After that you must feed your baby every 2 or 3 hours. Newborn babies need to be fed regularly.

Breast Feeding Positions

You have to learn and choose the best breastfeeding position for yourself. There are four breastfeeding positions to choose from. You have to see in which one you and your baby are most comfortable.

Keep Baby Warm

Newborn babies like to stay warm and huddled up. This is because they are still used to the cozy feeling in the womb. So keep your baby wrapped up tightly and hold him/her as much as you can.

Baby Burps

You have to make your baby burp every time you feed him/her. Newborn babies are still not experts at feeding so they suck a lot air while drinking milk. This can lead to gas and abdominal discomfort. Make the baby burp after every feed.

Baby Stool

Your baby may pass watery stool on one day and normal on the other. There might be days when your baby does not pass any stool. During the first 3 months after birth, the baby's intestines are not fully developed. So don't get worked up about your baby's potty habits already.

Newborn Babies Sleep A Lot

Newborn babies sleep for 18 to 20 hours in a day. You need to wake them for feeding sometimes. But otherwise, allow your little one to sleep as much as he/she wants.

Bathing The Baby

Your baby may be expected to bathe for the first within a week of its birth. The best way to bathe a newborn baby is in a tub of lukewarm water. Hold your baby in the tub in a sitting position and splash a little.

Ask For Help n Accept It

As a new mother, you will still be recovering from the trauma of giving birth. So don't try to be a super mom and do everything yourself. Take help from your parents, in-laws and friends. It is always in the best interest of your baby and you as well.