Basic Infant Care

To a new parent, routine tasks can seem daunting.

Basic Infant Care Tips Crying

All about Basic Infant Care

If you are a new parent, even changing a diaper and dressing your baby can seem daunting.

But not to worry, all it takes is a bit of guidance, patience and natural instinct. While you’re under our care, the patient and experienced nurses will teach you everything you need know, so that you can take the newest addition to your family home with confidence.

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A nappy being put on a baby by and adult

Tips

When holding your baby you should support his or her head and neck.
Always keep one hand on your baby when you diaper or dress your baby on a changing table or high surface.
Use a Bulb Aspirator to take mucus, breast milk or formula out of your baby’s mouth. Don’t overuse the bulb aspirator in the baby’s nose.
- Squeeze the bulb halfway.
- Gently put the tip in the side of your baby’s mouth and release. As you release the bulb, the mucus and/or milk will be sucked into the bulb.
- Squeeze the mucus out of the bulb into a tissue or trash can. Avoid excessive use.
- Rinse the bulb aspirator out with hot water after each use.

Delayed Pacifier Use

It’s important to delay pacifier use until your baby is about 3 to 4 weeks old. Using pacifiers before then can make it difficult for you to learn your baby’s feeding cues, make it harder for your baby to latch to your breast, and may decrease the amount of milk you make.

Personality

Babies are born with their own likes and dislikes. How babies relate to their parents, family members and the world around them comes from their unique personalities. One of the challenges in the first few days of life is to learn what works best for your baby.

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Crying

Crying is the only way your baby has to talk to you. Some crying is normal. Babies cry to tell you when they are hungry, tired or just need to be held. You cannot spoil a newborn with attention. Try to meet basic needs first. Is your baby hungry, wet or dirty, or too warm/too cold?

If your baby is still crying try the following:

Rock your baby in a rocking chair.
Gently stroke the back of your baby’s head.
Talk or sing to your baby.
Play soft music.
Walk your baby in your arms or in a stroller.
Go for a ride in the car.
Play rhythmic noise.
Burp your baby.
Sometimes too much activity can make it hard to calm your baby. Never bring your baby into bed with you to calm him or her.