Feeding And Burping Your Baby
Whether feeding your newborn by breast or a bottle, you may be stumped as to how often to do so. Generally, it’s recommended that babies be fed on demand whenever they seem hungry. Your baby may cue you by crying, putting fingers in his or her mouth, or making sucking noises.
A newborn baby needs to be fed every 2 to 3 hours. If you’re breastfeeding, give your baby the chance to nurse about 1015 minutes at each breast. If you’re formula-feeding, your baby will most likely take about 23 ounces at each feeding.
Some newborns may need to be awakened every few hours to make sure they get enough to eat. Call your baby’s doctor if you need to wake your newborn often or if your baby doesn’t seem interested in eating or sucking.
If you’re formula-feeding, you can easily monitor if your baby is getting enough to eat, but if you’re breastfeeding, it can be a little trickier. If your baby seems satisfied, produces about six wet diapers and several stools a day, sleeps well, and is gaining weight regularly, then he or she is probably eating enough.
Another good way to tell if your baby is getting milk is to notice if your breasts feel full before feeding your baby and less full after feeding. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your child’s growth or feeding schedule.
If your baby tends to be gassy, has gastroesophageal reflux, or seems fussy during feeding, try burping your little one after every ounce during bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes during breastfeeding.
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Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps And Start A Bedtime Routine
Babies under the age of 1 should always be put to sleep on their backs never on their sides or stomachs because back sleep minimizes the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. After the American Academy of Pediatrics began recommending that babies be put to sleep on their backs, the incidence of SIDS dropped by more than half.
At first, newborns sleep a lot about 16 to 17 hours a day but that sleep is broken up every hour or two by periods of wakefulness. In the early weeks, your baby will mostly wake just long enough to be fed and changed, said Massachusetts-based certified pediatric sleep consultant Arielle Greenleaf. Since your baby will also be awake for short periods throughout the night, which will inevitably disrupt your sleep, in order to stay well rested, you should absolutely sleep when your baby sleeps, she said.
Its also fine to let your baby fuss for a few minutes at night if shes not hungry or soiled you dont have to rock or hold her constantly. Let them see if they can naturally fall asleep on their own, said Dr. Angela Mattke, M.D., a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic Childrens Center in Rochester, Minn.
Graco Travel Lite Crib With Stages
Why pick this one? If youâre looking for a small and portable baby crib that you can take on vacation or a visit to the grandparents, then consider this Graco Travel Lite Crib. It weighs less than 20 pounds and conveniently folds into a matching travel case.
This crib has two mattress heights, and you can eventually convert it into a play yard.
The crib has an overhead canopy, which you can use to block out a little light. The hanging plush toys that attach to the canopy may be fun for your little one to look at, though you’ll want to remove them for safety’s sake once your child can reach up and pull them down.
Pampers Parents also like that the mesh sides are breathable and allow you to see into the crib more easily. The wheels assist in moving the crib from room to room, and it comes with a quilted mattress pad.
Highlights: There are two buttons you can push to easily fold the crib for travel or storage. The bag that’s included has a convenient handle.
Price*: about $147.99 on
Pampers Parents pros and cons:
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If You Are Using A Crib:
- Approved crib and crib mattress
- 3 waterproof mattress covers
- 4 light blankets that fit in the crib
- Sleep sack
- Firm mattress
- 4 fitted cribsheets
- 3 waterproof pads to place under baby
- Light comforter
- Sleep sack
- Approved infant safety seat for car
- Stroller that reclines so newborn can lie flat
- Nail clippers or scissors
- Bulb syringe for suctioning mucous
- Baby thermometer
- Eye dropper or medicine spoon
- Medication in case of fever
- Baby monitor
- Change table
- Rocking chair for feeding and swaddling
- Playpen
Safely Preparing Formula For Your Baby
Formula Video and Formula Tip Sheets
A Formula Preparation Video entitled Safely Preparing Formula For Your Baby and a series of 6 Tip Sheets are designed to assist families with the safe preparation of infant formula. Videos are available in English and French.
The 6 Tip Sheets cover the following topics:
- Tip Sheet #1- Informed Decision Making
- Tip Sheet #2- Getting Ready To Make Formula
- Tip Sheet #3- How To Prepare Ready-To-Feed Liquid Formula For Healthy Babies
- Tip Sheet #4- How To Prepare Concentrated Liquid Formula for Healthy Babies
- Tip Sheet #5- How To Prepare Powdered Formula For Healthy Babies
- Tip Sheet #6- How To Bottle Feed Your Baby And Transport Formula
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Baby Items That Start With T
- Toothpaste and toothbrush: We are sure you will not forget to buy toothbrushes and toothpaste for your little one as you dont want your child to suffer from dental issues.
- Teethers: You will thank yourself later for buying teethers for your child as they are beneficial for soothing your fussy baby during difficult teething stages. Teethers come in a variety of designs and colors.
- Toy Basket: To keep your childs toys in an organized fashion, dont forget to purchase a toy basket.
- Thermos: Thermos is also one of the essential products as it will help carry around warm milk during traveling.
Do Essential Home Repairs
Patching holes in the wall and replacing lightbulbs? Who has time for that with a newborn! Get all those home repairs and minor renovations done before baby arrives. If you and your partner arent handy, consider hiring a handyman.
Airtasker is a great place to get competitive quotes for any job you need done. If you plan on having any painting done, remember to do your research on safer, Low VOC paints in order to protect you, your growing baby and the rest of your family. Here is a great resource for non-toxic paint vendors.
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Expensive Stuff To Put On Your Registry
Remember when I said you dont want to run into the situation where little old Miss Nancy couldnt find anything to buy you, so she got you a random item you never wanted?
Well, one reason why some people buy random things is because theres nothing sufficiently valuable enough on your registry. I know this is true because several people told me this!
Some people just want to get you the best gift available. Im talking hundreds of dollars worth. So just for those gift givers, make sure you have some high priced items on your registry!
Here are some products I used myself and LOVED and recommend to every new mom:
Philips Avent Microwave Steam Sterilizer
New parents are always fretting about germs and sanitizing everything for their new little bundle of joy. For your own peace of mind, buy a sterilizer for bottles and pacifiers and let that do the work for you. There are plenty of microwavable and electrical options to choose from at a variety of prices. We like this one because its super fast, effective, and under $25.
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Newborn Baby Care Basics: What To Know When You Leave The Hospital
What to pay attention to, the kinds of schedules to follow, and what you dont need to worry about at all.
This guide was originally published on May 6, 2019 in NYT Parenting.
Life with a newborn can be magical and also overwhelming, exhausting and terrifying. I still remember the day I brought my son home from the hospital and thought: How do I care for this tiny, needy creature? Where is his owners manual? But hard as being a new parent can be, youre probably going to do fine. Babies are a lot stronger than parents may give them credit for, said Dr. Jennifer Shu, M.D., an Atlanta-based pediatrician and co-author of Heading Home With Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality. Over time, too, parents learn to detect and understand their babys needs, desires and schedules. Caring for a newborn a baby under 28 days old is not easy, but it does become more manageable, especially with the right advice on hand. For this newborn guide, I spoke with three pediatricians and a certified pediatric sleep consultant, collecting tips on what parents should pay attention to, what kinds of schedules they should follow, what they should do and what they dont need to worry about.
Whether Youre Breastfeeding Or Using Formula Feed Your Baby Frequently
If a mom is breastfeeding the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends doing so for at least six months her body will usually start producing breast milk within three days of birth. Before that, her breasts will produce a thick, yellow nutrient-filled liquid called colostrum.
At first, a nursing mother might have to work to ensure that her baby correctly latches, or fastens onto her breast, in order to eat. If youre having trouble establishing a good latch or getting your baby to eat, talk to a certified lactation consultant most hospitals and birthing centers have at least one on staff. You can also find a private lactation consultant via the United States Lactation Consultant Association.
No matter whether youre breastfeeding or formula feeding, newborns should be fed every one to three hours, so that they eat eight to 12 times in 24 hours. Frequent meals help newborns regain weight that they may have lost after birth. As your baby grows, she will gradually be able to eat more at each feeding and eat fewer times each day and night.
Dont fret if your baby doesnt burp after a feeding. Babies will burp if and when they need to, said Dr. Diane Cicatello, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician and vice chair of pediatrics at CareMount Medical in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
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How To Feed A Newborn
For the first two to four days of life, newborns who are breastfeeding will need to be fed every two to three hours, or on demand.
It might not seem like your baby is eating much as your milk supply comes in, but the colostrum you produce immediately following delivery is all they need at this stage.
Transitional milk will replace your milk for the next two weeks, then your mature milk supply will come in.
After the first few days, formula-fed newborns need 2 to 3 ounces of formula per feeding. Theyll need to be fed every three or four hours for the first few weeks.
During the first two weeks of life, if your newborn sleeps longer than four or five hours at a time, you may need to wake them up to eat.
At about 1 month old, both formula- and breastfed babies will need up to 4 ounces per feeding. At this point, formula-fed babies will be on a more predictable schedule, eating about every four hours. Some breastfed babies will eat every four hours, too, but some will still feed more often than this.
Medical Emergencies In Newborns
You may want to enroll in an infant CPR and basic first aid class before your baby is born. Consider reenrolling in a class even if you took one before the birth of a previous child.
Look for a class at a community center or hospital near you. You can also ask your OB-GYN for recommendations.
In the class, youll learn to identify signs of an emergency. Its important to watch out for the following and seek emergency medical help right away if you notice them:
- Your baby is having difficulty breathing. Signs that baby is having trouble breathing may include:
- rapid or irregular breathing
- turning blue in the face
- seeming to have difficulty taking air in
- making grunting noises while trying to take a breath
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Bringing Home Baby: The 20 Essentials You Actually Need
When I was pregnant with my first child, friends offered a heap of advice on all the baby gear I absolutely had to have. I ended up creating not one, not two, not three, but five different registries to account for all those necessary items.
Of course, no one ever sets out to be that excessive. But with the wave of parenthood approaching, I wanted to cover all my bases. When it comes to our kids, even the most rational and levelheaded among us can succumb to that nagging fear: If I just buy X, then Ill win at parenting . . . or at least not mess up so badly.
It doesnt have to be like that. Before you go wandering glassy-eyed through the aisles of Babies R Us, check out this list of 20 must-haves built from hard-won wisdom and experience in the child-rearing trenches.
1. Car seat: Car seats are mandatory by federal law, and the hospital wont let you take baby home without one. Baby car seats, or infant buckets, snap into a base and have a carry handle. There are numerous brands available to fit your budget and style.
2. Soft carrier: When you cant put your newborn down but want to move around with your hands free, soft carriers are lifesavers. Styles range from sling to wrap to front-to-back convertible, so talk to a friend, try a few out and keep your receipts!
6. Nursing wear: A nursing mom should have two good nursing bras or tank tops, plus nursing pads so you dont leak through all your shirts.
When Youre Preparing For The Arrival Of A New Baby Try Not To Think Too Far Ahead Because Thats When Youll Get Overwhelmed Just Focus On Those First Few Newborn Weeks And Your List Of Things To Get Will Be So Much Smaller
For example, do newborns need toys? Nope. They spend most of their time eating and sleeping. Do they need cute little outfits and tiny little shoes? Although precious, they really dont need them. They need comfortable outfits that make diaper changes easy and socks to keep their feet warm. Get the gist?
I will be the first to admit that I got sucked into the tornado of thinking I needed all the cute baby things right away. To be honest, I have beautiful baby blankets that never even got used and cute little outfits that were never worn. It was such waste of money on things that were not really needed.
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