How Should Babies Sleep
During the first weeks of a baby’s life, some parents choose to room-share. Room-sharing is when you place your baby’s crib, portable crib, play yard, or bassinet in your own bedroom instead of in a separate nursery. This keeps baby nearby and helps with feeding, comforting, and monitoring at night. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room-sharing without bed-sharing.
While room-sharing is safe, putting your infant to sleep in bed with you is not.Bed-sharing increases the risk of SIDS and other sleep-related deaths.
Follow these recommendations for a safe sleep environment for your little one:
Do You Need A Sleep Consultant
Babies younger than 3 months need to eat every few hours. For that reason, sleep training isnt appropriate for newborns.
However, you may choose to hire a sleep consultant when your baby is a bit older, usually around 4 months. Sleep consultants will consult with parents about their babys sleeping habits. They also may need to observe your baby in your home.
A sleep consultant will help you create a sleep schedule. They may help teach your baby to self-soothe without a parent comforting them until they fall asleep.
Theyll also recommend a method of sleep training for your child. Not every sleep consultant recommends the same method, so make sure youre comfortable with a consultants sleep philosophy before hiring one.
And remember, when baby is old enough to sleep through the night, you dont have to hire a sleep consultant. Your pediatrician can give you resources and tips to do it yourself.
Note that sleep training isnt usually safe for babies with certain health concerns or who were born prematurely. Talk to your pediatrician to confirm sleep training is safe for your baby.
What To Do With A Newborn Baby During The Day
Almost every day, I receive multiple parents who are concerned about their newborn babys daily routine. Parents want to know every little detail and the same happens when a first-time mother visits a Pediatrician.
This is a detailed guide by Dr. Qaisrani that explains what you should be doing with your newborn on a daily basis. We have added a detailed description of the day time activities.
Let us get into the details:
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How To Change Babys Diaper
To change your newborns diaper, make sure you have all supplies on hand. Then, follow these steps:
What Activities Can I Do With My Newborn
You may be wondering, what activities can I do with my newborn?, and the answer is simple the best way to introduce play with your newborn is to provide stimulating opportunities in your day-to-day life. Newborn play ideas can be super simple- and do not require a lot of preparation or any special training or tools.
You will actually find that a lot of the best ways to play with your newborn come from things that you already instinctively do. Things like singing, rocking, talking, bouncing, holding, imitating, and massaging are all excellent newborn awake time activities.
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Should I Swaddle My Newborn During The Day
New parents have a million and ten questions about their newborn baby and a lot of them have to do with sleep. Because sleep is crucial to your newborns growth in so many ways, knowing not just when to let them sleep, but how and where, can take a minute to figure out. Sleep plays an important role in brain development, regulating their emotions, and learning, in general, so its important to establish a routine around sleep fairly soon. Thats where swaddling comes in. Swaddling means wrapping up baby in a breathable, lightweight blanket and into a tight little baby bundle so that they feel calm and get better quality sleep. But this creates even more questions like should I swaddle my newborn during the day and if so, then how long to swaddle newborn during the day and when it comes to naps, even more Qs arise like, should I swaddle baby for naps? Keep reading as we break down swaddling, naps, and more, below!
Let Your Newborn Baby Properly Sleep
When the baby plays for more than two hours consecutively, the baby becomes tired, and that is why most of the time, the newborn becomes tired and lethargic. To make the baby relax during day time and not allowing the baby to weep to make sure that the stomach of the baby is full. Then put the newborn in the cuddle or take it in your lap and make the baby sleep.
This nap will allow the baby to become more active and during day time nap as the baby is tired, and the stomach is full. The baby sleeps for two to three hours comfortably, and this will make the parent to relax during day time and give the mothers a break to do some other tasks of the home.
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Outdoor Activities To Do With Newborns
When itâs a beautiful warm day, why not spend some quality time with your baby during a walk or at the local park or playground. Remember that your newborn should not be exposed to direct sunlight, so you’ll need to find a shady spot to enjoy the outdoors. Thereâs plenty you can do together outside â here are just a few ideas:
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Go for a walk. Put your little one in a stroller or a baby carrier, making sure she is dressed appropriately for the temperature, and has the shade of the canopy and a wide brimmed hat if itâs sunny out. Getting outdoors can be stimulating for your baby, and also gets you moving. As your little one grows you can start pointing out all the things you see to your baby.
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Tummy time in the backyard or park. Lay a comfortable blanket down on a safe area â grass in your yard or in an area of the park free from anything like sharp stones â and give your baby a little tummy time outdoors.
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Read to your little one in the fresh air. Reading with your baby is a good activity no matter where you are, but when the weather is nice, grab a book and a picnic blanket and find a good place to settle down together for some story time.
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Play with bubbles. Blow some bubbles into the air and let your baby watch them. Babies love to watch bubbles, and itâs fun to do this outside on a nice day! Just remember to blow the bubbles away from your baby so the soapy water doesnât get in your newbornâs eyes or on her sensitive skin.
Imitate Their Noises And Facial Expressions
Theyre starting to realize they have a voice so let them know that they are being heard. When they start making sounds and noises, repeat after them. Theyll love hearing it back while also familiarizing themselves with your voice.
Also, you can imitate all the little facial expressions they make: yawning, grimacing, smiling, or eyes wide open. Imitating is one of the best newborn activities for development.
They should start smiling around 7-10 weeks. If your baby isnt smiling yet, just show them your big smile and they will start imitating it too!
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Simple Tips For Shooting Diy Newborn Photography At Home
Babies grow up fast and change so much even in days. There is no way people can schedule a professional photo shoot to capture every little milestone.
So its a smart idea to learn how to take DIY newborn photography at home. The photos might not look that professional. But DIY newborn photography has advantages.
Like you can take all the time you need. Or use any props that you have on hand.
For the rest of the tips, read here.
When Is My Baby Ready To Play And Learn
During the first month of life, your newborn will spend much of the day sleeping or seeming drowsy. Over the next several weeks to months, your baby will begin to be awake and alert for longer periods of time. You’ll learn to recognize when your baby is ready to learn and play:
- A baby who is quiet and alert will be attentive and responsive and interested in their surroundings. Encourage learning with smiles, soothing sounds, and gentle caresses.
- A baby who is awake but active or fussing is less able to focus on you. The baby may seem upset or cry when you try to get their attention. These are signs that your baby may be getting hungry, tired, or overstimulated.
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Essentials For The Hospital
The hospital may provide some items like:
- a few newborn diapers
- swaddle blanket
- samples of formula if youre bottle-feeding
Youll want to have an installed rear-facing car seat. In the United States, hospitals wont let you leave with your baby without a rear-facing car seat, even if you arent driving home from the hospital.
Youll also want to have the following:
- formula, bottles, and sterilizing equipment, if you plan to bottle-feed
You dont need to bring a breast pump to the hospital. If the hospital wants you to pump breast milk, theyll give you access to a hospital-grade pump during your stay.
If you want help learning to use your own pump, you can bring it along.
Bedding And Sleep Needs
Whatever bed you choose for your newborn , it is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics that your baby sleep in the same room with you for the first 6-12 months of life. In addition, bumpers, blankets, pillows, and soft toys are no longer recommended in baby beds. Talk about going minimalistic!
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Introducing Baby To Pets
If you have a dog or cat at home, theyll probably be aware of a change during your pregnancy or when you set up the nursery.
Allow your pet to sniff the new baby furniture and accessories. Play recordings of baby noises for them so they can become used to the noises.
After baby is born, bring something with the babys scent, such as a blanket or item of clothing, for them to sniff. Theyll recognize the smell later when you bring the baby home for the first time.
Its important to always supervise your pets interactions with the baby during the newborn stage. Never leave your baby alone in an area where a pet has access. A pets attempts at welcoming a new family member may not be safe for a small baby.
If your pet is being overly friendly or aggressive, try to find positive ways to redirect their attention away from baby. That can help reduce feelings of jealousy or resentment.
Set Up An Optimum Sleep Environment
Set up your babys nursery for an optimum sleep environment to help your baby when falling asleep and stay asleep. Use blackout curtains to keep the room pitch black and a good sound machine to muffle outside noises. If youve read any of my other posts, you know I am obsessed with the !
The temperature of the room is also important for babys safety and comfort. I was a nutcase about the temperature in Evelyns nursery after she was born, so I get it. Most experts agree the room a baby sleeps in should be between 68 and 72 degrees F. Make sure your baby is dressed comfortably for the temperature.
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Dont Kiss Your Newborn If You Have A Cold Sore
The urge to kiss your babys chubby cheeks and nose will be strong, but if you have a cold sore, resisting that urge might save your babys life. Cold sores, also called oral herpes, are caused by the HSV-1 virus, which can cause brain damage or death in newborns their immune systems are not strong enough to fight the virus.
An HSV-1 outbreak starts forming even before a cold sore appears. So, if you feel the familiar tingling that typically comes before a cold sore forms, or if you had a cold sore recently, refrain from kissing the baby until the outbreak has fully cleared. Firmly remind anyone else who will be handling your baby to follow the same guidelines.
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Walk And Talk With Your Newborn Baby
Sometimes the babies feel discomfort when they lay down in the baby bed or the cuddle all day long and in the night. They can sleep in the same position at night, but in the day, the newborns feel active and want to do some other activities. When the newborn doesnt get the right amount of business, then they start crying.
If you want to make the newborn comfortable during day time too, then you should take the baby to a walk. This walk can be a five to six steps walk in the room or on the lawn in the home. You can take the newborn on a walk in the backyard of the house.
For this purpose, wrap the baby appropriately and take the baby to the garden in the lap. Just talk to the newborn while waking or silently move the baby here and there. For less than half-hour and more than fifteen minutes, you can give this walking session to the baby. This activity will take part in the day time of the baby. Take to the baby on a walk daily, this will add to the routine of the baby soon.
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Experiment With Wide Angle Shots
Your iPhone 11 also has the ability to do a wide angle shot when you apply .5 setting in camera mode.
This zoomed-out effect is great for when you are taking photos in a cramped space.
Or, when you want an overhead shot without having to stand on anything.
You can do a lot with this iPhone photography tip, so dont forget its an option!
As weve pointed out, a big advantage to DIY-ing your own newborn photography is that you can take your time and try many different things.
As long as you baby is cooperating, you have the green light to get as creative as you want!
Shell Let You Know If Shes Getting Enough Food
Baby needs to eat every two to three hours but if youre nursing, its tough to know how much milk shes getting. The babys weight is the best indicator in the early days, says Dr. Tolcher. Your pediatrician will check it within a few days of discharge. A newborn loses 5 to 8 percent of her birthweight within the first week but should gain it back by the second. Diaper-counting can also act as a gauge: her schedule those first five days is haphazard, but after that, youll see five to six wet diapers a day, and at least one or two stools.
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Signs That Suggest A Developmental Problem
All children are different and develop at different rates, so if your baby doesn’t do all the things listed in this article, it may be because they are working on some different area of learning and development. However, if your baby is very different from other children, or if you are worried about their development or it seems to go backwards, seek the advice of a health professional.Signs that could suggest a developmental problem include:
- Unusually floppy or stiff body
- Arm or leg on one side is obviously different in muscle tone or power to the other
- Fingers are always held in a tight fist
- Not watching faces by two to three months
- Not startling to noise
- Difficulties with feeding beyond ‘normal’ range
- Long periods of crying and persistent difficulties with settling
- The child is exceptionally quiet and placid.
How To Reunite An Injured Baby Raccoon And Mother
Sometimes, during nursing, a baby raccoon can fall out of its nest and get separated from the rest of the litter. If you spot such a raccoon, first check if it is injured, in case it isnt, the best possible option is getting it back to its mother. Raccoons just like most mammals make excellent mothers and will come back looking for its baby if given a chance. An adult female raccoon will take care of its baby better than any human or wildlife care center could do.
Wear protective clothing, and safely secure the raccoon into a cardboard box with a heat source. Place it as closely as possible to where the baby raccoon was discovered. In case there is a tree in the vicinity, place it at the base of the tree. Raccoons will rarely nest at trees, placing it next to a building or structure will work too. If you know where the raccoon nest is, place the box near the raccoon trail leading to the nest. During this process, do not wear perfume or have any fragrance that will deter the mother raccoon away.
If you live in a noisy area, you could leave a sign next to the cardboard box, letting others know that the baby raccoon is waiting for its mother. Alternatively, you could take the baby and place it in a dark, secure location until sunset when everything cools down. Remember, you need to leave the baby raccoon out for a single full night to give the mother a chance to find it.
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