The Next Chapter
Feeding
If you're breast-feeding, you should feed about 12 times a day, or eight times a day if bottle feeding, says Los Angeles pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, author of the book and DVD The Happiest Baby on the Block. Generally, that means breast-fed babies should eat every two or three hours, but keep in mind that some infants feed more during the day, Karp says. When breast-feeding, wait a week or two to ensure nursing is going well before switching to a bottle with pumped breast milk, he adds.
Bathing
Bathtime is a way to relax and soothe your infant. Parents should bathe children younger than 1 year no more than three times a week because soap can dry out a baby's delicate skin, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. So long as you keep their bottoms clean during diaper changes and moisturize with hypoallergenic lotion after each bath, your baby will be fine with three baths a week. The academy also recommends that parents sponge-bathe infants until their umbilical cord stumps dry up.
The Umbilical Stump and Other Parts
The umbilical cord typically dries up and falls off by 8 weeks old, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. It's important to keep the stump dry while it heals by folding your baby's diaper below the cord. If your baby boy was circumcised, the tip of the penis may be red or have a yellow secretion after the procedure that should go away in a week. Clean the penis and change the bandages at each diaper change and apply petroleum jelly to prevent irritation, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises.
Poo
Your baby's first few stools will be an odorless black substance known as meconium. Once feeding begins, bacteria will enter the intestines, and your baby will have her first bowel movements. Her stool will then change from meconium to green, yellow or brown poo. If her stools are white or red, contact your doctor; it could be an indication of liver disease or blood in the stool, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Sleeping
Newborns generally sleep about 14 hours a day on average, Karp says. Swaddling your baby is an ideal way to promote sleep; just make sure that his arms are down snugly and that his hips are able to bend, he adds. Always check to make sure that your baby isn't getting overheated.
Crying
When your baby cries, check the diaper and change if necessary, or rock or feed her. But if none of those help, there are other ways to calm her, Karp says. To remember them, he's created the Five S's: swaddling, holding her on the side or stomach, making shushing sounds, providing a swinging or rhythmic motion, and sucking at the breast. "Lying on the back is the worst position for calming a baby," Karp says. However, when it's time for bed, always place her on her back.
