Newborn Care
Life with babies can be magical and beautiful; however, healthy newborns require a series of more-or-less routine care and procedures, even if they don’t present any problems. You’re probably a first-time parent who’s just left the hospital, and you’re wondering, ‘’now what?’’ the pediatricians at Pediatrics of Sugar Land can help you and provide the best care for your newborn.
Newborns need constant and very detailed care about their general condition, as well as the correct step-by-step establishment of their feeding. It is vital to understand that we must take into account both the time at which the baby was born (pre-term, term, post-term) and the history of the pregnancy to consider a newborn as healthy.
Newborn Baby Care: FAQs and guidance for parents
Newborns are very fragile beings with a virgin organism. When you get home, always clean your clothes and before touching or carrying your baby, disinfect your hands or wash them very well with water and soap.
Never shake the newborn or drop its head. Babies do not have a voluntary head restraint, so gently hold their head and neck in an upright position when carrying them.
How should a newborn baby eat?
This one is the most common and important question, as feeding is a cornerstone during this period. The newborn should be fed exclusively of breast milk during the first six months after birth.
Breastfeeding can be uncomfortable and sometimes very painful. The mother should be surrounded by friends and family to cheer her up during this process. Breastfeeding should be started as soon as possible, and supplements such as water, whey, or milk drinks must be avoided.
Consult with our experts at newborn care at Pediatrics of Sugar Land for individualized attention according to each baby’s nutritional requirements. Proper compliance with feeding will allow your child’s growth.
How do I care for my baby’s umbilical cord?
It usually comes off only during the first 3 to 12 days of life. It should be washed with soap and water, preferably at the time of daily cleaning, only once a day with dried gently; and covered with clean, sterile gauze bathed in alcohol.
This gauze will be changed whenever necessary; if it becomes stained with urine or feces, you must repeat the entire cleaning process.
My baby made dark poop, Is it normal?
It is normal to make dark poop during the first 48 hours of life; this is the result of the elimination of meconium. The baby should make the transitional stools that are greenish and more fluid in the following days, and the normal evacuation rhythm appears in about a week, which changes according to the type of breastfeeding.
My baby sleeps a lot, Is it normal?
Newborns sleep most of the day during the first few months of life, but their sleep needs decrease as this phase continues. They usually sleep about 16 to 17 hours a day.
Motherhood is a beautiful time, and at Pediatrics of Sugar Land, we have that spark of support that will make this stage much more bearable, thanks to the proper recommendations given by a pediatric specialist so you will have the necessary guidance at all times.
