Bringing your baby home from the hospital is a life-altering experience. As you marvel at the little life you created, you can’t help but wonder “what next” at the back of your mind. In fact, this two-word question can make the first few weeks feel extremely overwhelming! After all, you haven’t been a parent before, and the fragility of your newborn can make you double-check each of your decisions – from the baby care products you bought to the colour of your little one’s nursery!

Take a minute to pause and breathe. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be patient and take care of the basics. That means taking each day as it comes and trying your best to do the following.

Practical & Essential Newborn Care For First-Time Parents

For your convenience, we have broken down this guide into practical sections so you can refer back to it and deal with specific situations as and when they emerge:

How To Safely Handle Your Newborn

The first thing you have to do as a parent is lift your newborn and learn how to handle them in the safest way possible. Here are a couple of tips to follow:

• Wash your hands with an antiseptic soap before handling your baby as their immune systems are weak and still in the process of development. Make sure any visitors do the same.

• Always support the head and neck of your child gently when holding them. Their neck muscles are fragile so cradling their head gently provides the right kind of support.

• Never shake your baby. Any kind of vigorous movement can be too much for your child and can lead to severe, irreversible injuries. If you need to wake your baby, gently stroke their cheek or tickle their feet. That’ll do.

• Whether you’re putting your baby in a car seat, stroller or a walker, make sure you fasten all relevant gear securely to protect your baby against accidents.

How To Bond With & Soothe Your Baby

Yearning to bond with your baby and trying to form a deep emotional attachment with them is one of the most natural things you can do. Physical contact is the start of that.

• Hold your baby close to your bare chest when they are only dressed in a diaper. It calms them down, stabilizes their heart rate, and regulates their body temperature, making feeding easier.

• Swaddling and rocking your baby every now and then provides them with the familiar security of the womb and can be a great way to bond.

• Things you can do to soothe your baby include gently rocking them, rhythmically patting them, softly humming at them, and offering a pacifier once you’ve already established a fixed feeding pattern.

How To Feed & Burp Your Baby

Feeding and burping your baby might seem like another mountain to climb but it’s easy if you try the following techniques:

• During the initial months, feed your abby as often as they get hungry. Common hunger cues you need to watch out for include rooting, sucking on their fists or smacking their lips.

• Track your baby’s feeding schedules, bowel movements, and weight gain to ensure they are growing at a healthy pace.

• Your baby is likely to swallow air during feeding sessions. Holding your baby upright over your shoulder and gently patting their back is a great way to burp them and let swallowed air escape.

How To Care For Your Baby’s Skin

Diapering your baby and keeping them clean is an essential part of building a healthy skincare routine for your child. While using the right baby care products is necessary for that, so is sticking to the following best practices:

• Plan for at least 8 to 10 diaper changes everyday and stock up accordingly. When wiping your baby in between diaper changes, wipe your girl baby front to back to prevent UTIs. Use warm water and soft cotton pads or baby-safe wipes to clean their diaper area and apply a diaper rash cream if they get rashes.

• Keep your baby’s umbilical stump clean and dry until it falls off naturally on its own. Make sure the diaper’s waistband doesn’t cover the stump so it can remain clean and dry. If you notice any anomalies, contact your doctor immediately.

• Making bathing a short and sweet ritual by using clean and natural baby washes along with lukewarm water. Follow-up each 5-10 min bath with a moisturiser to prevent dryness. Use natural oils only when massaging your baby.

Conclusion

Nobody is born with the skills it requires to be a parent. So do not put the pressure of unreasonable expectations on yourself. Try to take a practical approach to parenthood instead and learn as you go. Remember, it’s not just your baby that’s growing everyday. You grow as a parent too, transforming into the best version of a parent your baby could ask for.