How to properly care for a newborn. Mandatory rules when caring for a newborn baby

All 9 months of pregnancy have passed, the pangs of childbirth are left behind, and in front of you lies a small, tender bundle of your son or daughter. What should we do with it now? How to care for a newborn baby? How to bathe him, wash him and in general, how to pick him up. We will try to give you an answer to these questions.

How to care for the umbilical wound of a newborn.

The baby, while in the womb, is fed through the umbilical cord, which is cut after birth. An umbilical wound is formed, which you will have to take care of at home because the umbilical wound is a large gateway for infections into your baby’s small body.

In the morning and evening after bathing, the umbilical wound should be treated. To do this, you need to prepare hydrogen peroxide 3%, brilliant green, as well as 2 syringes without a needle or 2 pipettes.
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, open the umbilical wound and drop in a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.

It will hiss and foam, various crusts will come out of the umbilical wound, which you will then remove with sterile cotton wool. After this, take 2 drops of brilliant green into a pipette or syringe and drop it into the umbilical wound, remove excess with sterile cotton wool.

In this way, you need to treat the wound until it oozes, sometimes this happens for 7 days, sometimes 14, and sometimes the umbilical wound heals after 20 days. If nothing oozes from the umbilical wound and it is completely smooth and dry, then there is no point in treating it.

Then you treat all skin folds with boiled vegetable oil or other special oil for newborns. First, wipe behind the ears, under the neck, armpits, elbow and groin folds, where dust may accumulate. Lastly, apply between the buttocks.

How to care for a newborn baby

How to swaddle a newborn

So your baby lies in front of you, completely naked. What to do with it, how to care for a newborn baby? To swaddle or not to swaddle?

It is better to swaddle some babies, as they wake themselves up by waving their arms in their sleep, while others don’t need to be swaddled. Therefore, every mother must educate her newborn child and decide what is best for her baby.

In the maternity hospital they suggest swaddling your baby in diapers for the first time, and then as he gets older you can switch to baby onesies and onesies.

How to properly wash a newborn

How to approach our newborn child, and what to do with him when he has relieved his needs. How to pick it up and wash it correctly so that it doesn’t slip out

Place the child on your left arm, bent at the elbow joint, as if on a shoulder blade.

The head lies in the elbow bend. With your left hand, hold the child by the left thigh and press him close to you.

In this position, you bring the baby to a stream of warm water (pre-tested).

The girl must be washed from front to back so that feces do not fall into the genital opening.

You can use special wet wipes, but as a rule they are intended for special occasions when you do not have warm water on hand, on a trip, outdoors, or in the country. At all other times, it is better to wash the child with warm running water and baby soap.

How to care for a newborn baby in the morning

Every morning for a newborn, like an adult, begins with washing. Wipe your face, neck, and arms with boiled or mineral water or a cotton swab.

After this, pat dry with a soft diaper or towel.

Protect your child’s eyes from getting water; wipe them last with a damp cotton swab from the outer edge to the inner. If your eyes water or produce yellowish mucus that sticks to your eyelids, see your doctor.

Then soak cotton swabs in sterile oil and use circular motions to cleanse your nasal passages.

To clean the ears, also soak a cotton swab in boiled water, turn the child’s head to the side and clean the ear, not forgetting all the folds of the auricle. Do not penetrate beyond the ear canal. For each ear, as well as for the eyes, use a separate cotton swab. The morning toilet always ends with washing.

Things to do with a newborn baby

What did your baby do when it was in your belly? He beat you with his legs and arms, pulled you by the umbilical cord, and demanded food.

Now he was born, what to do with the newborn? Just swaddle him, put him in a crib or unwrap him, put his pants on and give him free rein to move?

Each mother should approach this individually and see what her child wants. But being in the crib all the time, the child will receive little information and learn little about the world around him. Unfortunately, such children sometimes cry very loudly, and mothers try not to disturb them: “He’ll cry and calm down, it’s okay.”

And unfortunately, such children grow up very nervous and restless. Therefore, while you can take the child in your arms, you need to take him, carry him in your arms, talk to him, communicate.

Usually the baby is carried on your arm, sometimes you can carry him in a column with his head resting on your shoulders. You can carry it on your arm, but with your tummy down, supporting the baby between your legs with your hand.

How much and how should a newborn sleep?

So you washed your baby, swaddled him, fed him, walked with him, and now it’s time for him to sleep. Where should a newborn sleep?

Surely he has his own crib with a rather hard mattress. Newborn babies should sleep without a pillow. Change your child's position every day to prevent his head from becoming deformed.

The child can sleep on the left or right side, as well as on the stomach. It is recommended to place it on the baby's stomach immediately after birth. In this position, the newborn has less stomach pain, gases pass well, he is less restless, easily gets used to this position and quickly falls asleep.

Children who sleep on their stomachs begin to walk and talk earlier, and this is also a prevention against dysplasia. There is no need to arrange complete silence for the child, light music can play, the TV may not be loud, you can talk to the baby, you can leave him alone.

As the child gets used to it, he will fall asleep and give you a peaceful rest during daytime and nighttime sleep. And at night there should be complete silence, thanks to this the child will get used to the regime: day - night.

How long does a newborn sleep?

Many parents think that a newborn baby should sleep a lot; in fact, the need for sleep is very individual. There are children who sleep for 20 hours, for others 15 is enough. If your child sleeps very little from birth, this does not mean that something is bothering him.

You don't need to worry because the child himself must decide how much sleep he needs. It is advisable to accustom your child to the idea that he should sleep immediately after eating.

Some parents believe that it is better for their child to sleep in the same bed with them, as it is easier to monitor his needs. Others teach a very young child to sleep even in a separate room, although this disturbs the sleep of both the child and the mother. The baby is nervous that no one is around, and the parents need to listen all night to see if their baby is crying, and at the first cry, run to another room.

Many people believe that a child should sleep in his own crib, but in the room with his parents. Everyone must decide this for themselves, but try to let the child fall asleep without the presence of mom and dad. Otherwise, in the future it will be difficult for you to teach him to sleep alone.

How to walk with a newborn

The first walk can be done towards the end of the first week after discharge from the hospital. Usually by this time mother and child have already adapted. They already know when to eat, when to sleep, and can choose the optimal time for a walk. If the weather outside is very good, then the walk can start from 20 to 30 minutes.

In winter, you can walk with your newborn until the temperature is not lower than - 10˚ C; if the temperature is lower, then it is better to ventilate the room or walk on the balcony.

Now, dear young mothers, you have learned how to care for a newborn baby. Don’t worry or be afraid, involve your husband in activities with the child more often, this is also his responsibility.

Together you will cope with all difficulties.

A child, boy or girl, is a joy in the home. But the first days following discharge from the maternity hospital turn for young mothers, if not into a nightmare, then into a very difficult period of life, since it is difficult to immediately properly take on the screaming little bundle of life.

Any woman has instinct and intuition that will help her control herself and get down to business. There are also experienced relatives who are ready to help take care of a boy or a girl. If not, the main points described below will explain what the mother needs to know about the child in the first days of life. You can also watch a video on the most important aspects of caring for your baby.

The appearance of a newborn in the house is a serious responsibility, most of which falls on the young mother. She desperately needs reliable and complete information about caring for her baby.

Where does caring for a newborn begin?

From the baby’s hygiene, feeding and rest regime. Hygiene is an important factor in ensuring the health of a growing organism; it is especially important in the first days of its life. How to bathe a newborn correctly (more details in the article:)? At what age is a child allowed to have bath procedures?

The baby begins to bathe approximately 5 days after birth. This is due to the fact that in a large number of children by this time the umbilical stump (the remnant of the umbilical cord, pinched with a special clothespin-clamp) mummifies and falls off. The period for the stump to fall off ranges from 3 to 10 days. Normally, if the umbilical cord is thick and wide, the stump can last up to 2 weeks. So why not bathe the child all this time? Doctors recommend wet wipes.

When the umbilical remnant separates and until the umbilical wound heals, it is recommended to bathe the child in boiled water. There is another opinion: a number of experts believe that it is enough to add a weakly concentrated solution of manganese to tap water and carefully treat the umbilical wound after the procedure.

Decoctions and herbal extracts are not added until the umbilical wound heals. In the future, you can bathe the baby in herbal decoctions in agreement with the pediatrician (we recommend reading:).

What do you need for swimming?

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Caring for a baby is a troublesome, but enjoyable task. For a child, it is better to purchase a personal special baby bath (we recommend reading:). This is more hygienic, and there is no risk of frightening the baby by immersing himself in a large bath.

If parents are prepared with information, then bathing a baby can be a real pleasure for the whole family. The best reservoir would be a special baby bath

What else should you buy:

• thermometer;
• towel (soft);
• manganese;
• cotton buds;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• brilliant green (brilliant green) solution.

The water temperature should be between 36.6-37 C. A thermometer is used to determine it (we recommend reading:). If for some reason mom did not have time to purchase a thermometer, the water temperature can be determined by pouring a thin stream onto the back of the forearm closer to the elbow. The water temperature should be close to body temperature.

When bathing your baby, you should watch him carefully. The thermoregulation of a newborn is not as perfect as that of an adult. Therefore, it can easily become overcooled or overheated. If the child’s skin is pale and the nasolabial triangle is slightly blue, the baby is cold; if his skin turns reddish, he is overheating. In this case, you need to change the water temperature in the right direction.

Principles of rational breastfeeding

• give the nipple to the baby correctly;
• follow the rule - one feeding on one breast (if milk production is in sufficient quantities);
• do not express or do it as necessary (in the case of lactostasis - stagnation of “distant” milk, which the child is not yet able to suck out in the first days of life, or prolonged absence of the mother);
• take proper care of your breasts.

Not every child can take the breast correctly after birth, and not every mother can offer it correctly. Because of this, there can be both problems with feeding and damage to the mother’s nipples by the gums of the newborn.

When the baby opens his mouth wide, you need to present the nipple in such a way that it captures not only it, but also the adjacent tissue (the colored area around the nipple, called the alveolus). The alveolus should be almost completely in the child’s mouth and only slightly peek out from above. It's better to watch the whole process on video.

If there is enough milk, modern pediatrics recommends feeding the newborn on demand, especially in the first days after birth. Thus, the baby not only eats, but also communicates with the mother, and also stimulates the production of milk by the mammary glands.

Feeding a baby is an art in which there must be complete intuitive understanding with the baby. If something goes wrong, it’s better to watch videos of more experienced mothers, where they talk about their secrets

Proper care includes treating the nipple (before and after feeding, you need to wash the breast with clean water), using products prescribed by the doctor in case of cracks, and wearing a special bra made of natural materials.

The bra should not be tight, should hold the breasts well, and have wide straps. It is better to buy a special bra. This will allow you to quickly change the insert soaked in milk, treat the breast and feed the newborn.

The correct attitude towards the mammary glands and breast hygiene will allow mommy to maintain her beauty, including her shape, after stopping breastfeeding. You can also watch the care process on video.

Diapers or undershirts?

Choosing clothes for a child after maternity hospital is probably one of the most controversial issues. Previously, tight swaddling was recommended, but today opinions are divided: a number of experts still recommend swaddling the baby, while others recommend rompers and undershirts.

If the mother chooses swaddling, then the newborn should not be pulled into swaddling clothes too much, making a “soldier” out of the child, or covered too warmly. Babies do not tolerate overheating well.

How to properly swaddle a baby, you should watch the video:

If the mother chooses loose clothes for the child, she should wear undershirts with her hands covered or buy scratches for the baby. This will protect the baby from harming himself. If your baby sleeps very restlessly or wakes himself up, swaddling may solve the problem.

Should a child put on a cap immediately after being discharged from the maternity hospital (more details in the article:)? If there are no drafts in the room where the baby is, the temperature is maintained and the child is healthy, this is not necessary. An exception may be the time after washing the baby.

Regardless of whether mom prefers swaddling or onesies, baby will need diapers. It is better to buy high-quality, “breathable” ones. This reduces the risk of developing diaper dermatitis. You can use disposable diapers for walks. At home, it’s better to use reusable gauze. This is especially true for boys.

The use of diapers is now approved by all doctors, because it is a natural progression. However, you shouldn’t get carried away with them either - it’s better to make do with diapers or reusable diapers at home

If the baby turns out to be a boy, the act of urination in the first days and even weeks of life can be painful for him. Many boys have congenital phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin), and the additional impact of a reusable diaper aggravates the discomfort. A tight or overfilled diaper can have a mechanical effect on the penis, thereby causing discomfort.

Any child (both boys and girls) does not know how to completely relax when urinating, which makes the process itself unpleasant, and the pressure of the diaper on the penis worsens the situation.

How can a mother take care of herself after childbirth?

It is important that the mother properly cares not only for the baby, but also for herself. First of all, it's proper nutrition. Avoid carbonated drinks, legumes and other foods that cause bloating. You shouldn't eat sweets for many reasons: for example, such food promotes the growth of yeast in the mother's genital tract. Food needs to be steamed.

So you brought home your bundle of joy - now what? Although caring for a newborn is one of the most special and rewarding experiences of your life, you may feel at a loss about what to do and the need to give your baby constant attention and care. To care for your newborn, what you need to know is how to ensure your baby is rested, cared for, and cared for, as well as a healthy dose of love and affection.

Steps

Part 1

Basic steps

1. Help your newborn get enough rest. Newborns need plenty of rest to grow healthy and strong - some babies sleep 16 hours a day. Once your baby is three months old, he can sleep 6-8 hours at a time; at younger ages, babies sleep 2-3 hours at a time. The child must be woken up after this time if he has not eaten for 4 hours.

   • Newborns often do not understand whether it is day or night. If your child is more active at night, try to limit nighttime stimulation by dimming the lights and talking more quietly. Be patient until your baby starts a normal cycle.
   • Make sure your baby is lying on his back to reduce the risk of SIDS.
   • You should alternate the position of your baby's head when he sleeps to avoid fontanelles appearing on his face if he sleeps in the same position all the time.

2. Consider breastfeeding your newborn. If you want to breastfeed your baby, the best time to start is when your baby is first delivered. You should turn your baby towards you so that your chest is directly in front of him. Touch your upper lip and guide it towards the nipple, then when the baby opens his mouth, move it towards the breast. Once you do this, your mouth should cover the nipple as much as possible. Here are some things you should know about feeding your baby:

   • If the baby gets enough food, he will use 6-8 diapers a day. Be on the lookout for when your baby wakes up and starts gaining weight rapidly.
   • Don't panic if you have problems with your first feeding, it takes patience and practice. A nurse and another woman experienced in breastfeeding can help you.
   • Remember that feeding should not be painful. If it hurts when you wrap your baby's mouth around the nipple, place your little finger between the breast and the newborn's mouth and repeat the whole procedure from the beginning.
   • The first day of a child's life you should feed him 8-12 times. You don't have to follow a strict schedule, but you should always feed your baby when he shows signs of hunger, from opening his mouth to looking at the nipple. You should feed your baby at least every 4 hours. Even if it means gently waking him up.
   • Make yourself comfortable. Feeding can sometimes take up to 40 minutes, so find a comfortable place with a backrest to support your back.
   • Eat healthy and balanced foods. Drink plenty of fluids and remember that you will feel hungrier than usual. Limit your intake of alcohol and coffee as they negatively affect breast milk.

3. Consider formula feeding. It is your personal decision whether to breastfeed or formula feed your baby. While some research suggests that breastfeeding may be healthier for your baby, you should also consider your own health and convenience, as well as many other factors, before making this decision. With bottle feeding, you'll be able to more easily remember how many times you've fed your baby so you can limit the number of feedings without having to limit your own diet. If you decide to formula feed your baby, here are some things you should know:

   • Always follow the directions on the formula label.
   • Sterilize new bottles.
   • Feed your baby every two to three hours or whenever he looks hungry.
   • Throw away any leftover formula from the refrigerator or any left over from feeding your baby.
   • Do not store mixtures in the refrigerator for longer than 24 hours. You can warm them gently as many children prefer it this way, but this is not necessary.
   • Hold your baby at a 45-degree angle to prevent him from swallowing too much air. Rock him in a diagonal position while supporting his head. Tilt the bottle like a nipple and give it to your baby. Never support your baby's neck as he or she may choke.

4. Change your newborn's diapers. Whether you use cloth diapers or disposable diapers, you'll have to quickly learn to become an expert at changing them. Whichever method you choose, you should be prepared to change diapers 10 times a day. Here's what you need to do:

   • Prepare everything you need. You will need a clean diaper, a fastener (if it's a cloth diaper), powder (for rashes), a container of warm water, a clean washcloth, and some cotton pads and wipes.
   • Remove your baby's dirty diaper. If wet, place baby on his back and remove the diaper. Use water and a towel to dry your baby's genital area. For girls, wipe from front to back to avoid urinary tract infections. If you see a rash, treat it with ointment or powder.
   • Open the new diaper and place it under your baby, gently lifting his legs. Move the front of the diaper between your baby's legs, over the belly. Then place the adhesive strips together and secure them tightly so that the diaper fits nice and securely.
   • To prevent your baby's skin from breaking out in rashes, try to change the diaper as soon as possible after a bowel movement. Using soap and water, wash your skin. Keep your baby out of diapers for part of the day to avoid diaper rash.

5. Give your newborn a bath. During the first week you should wash your baby thoroughly with a sponge. Once the umbilical cord falls off, you can bathe your baby regularly, 2-3 times a week. You must do everything correctly, prepare the necessary items: towel, soap, clean diaper, etc. Prepare everything in advance so as not to fuss with your child later. Fill your bathtub or baby tub about 8cm with warm water before you begin. Here's what you should do next:

   • See if anyone can help you. You may feel unsure the first time you give your baby a bath. So try to involve your family member in the process. One person can hold the baby while bathing, and the second person can bathe him directly.
   • Carefully undress the child. Then place your baby in the bath with your feet, supporting his neck and head. Place cups of warm water in the bath to keep your baby warm.
   • Use a mild soap and use it sparingly to avoid getting it in your baby's eyes. Wash your baby by hand or with a washcloth, making sure to gently wash your baby from top to bottom and front to back. Wash your baby's body, genitals, scalp, hair, and any dried mucus that remains on your baby's face.
   • Rinse off the soap with warm water, pouring cups over your baby. Dry your baby with a clean towel. Remove your baby from the bath, being sure to support his head and neck. Be careful, a wet baby can easily slip out of your hands.
   • Wrap your baby in a towel and dry him. After this, dress him in a diaper, clothes and kiss the baby so that he has pleasant associations with the bath.

6. Know how to treat a child. You may be scared by how small and fragile your baby is. But you must learn to feel confident in some areas as soon as possible. Here are some things you should do:

   • Wash or sanitize your hands before handling your child. Newborns are more susceptible to germs because their immune system has not yet developed. Make sure your hands and those who touch your baby are clean.
   • Support your baby's head and neck. To hold your baby, always support his head, no matter what you do. The baby doesn't know how to hold his head up on his own, so don't let it hang.
   • Don't shake your baby when you're playing with him or when you're angry. This can lead to hemorrhage, which leads to death. Do not try to wake up your baby by shaking him. Better yet, tickle his heels or touch him gently.
   • Learn to swaddle your baby. This is a great way to make your baby feel secure for up to two months.

7. Hold your newborn. You must ensure that you always support your baby's head and neck. Sometimes you should let your baby rest with his head on the inside of your elbow and his body resting on your other arm. His outer thigh and leg should rest with your hand resting on his chest and tummy. Hold your baby firmly and give him your full attention.

   • You can also hold your baby by placing his tummy on your chest, using your hand to hold him down. Use your other hand to support the baby's head.
   • If you have children or teenagers in your family who don't know how to handle a newborn, you should show them how to handle a baby or make sure there are adults around at all times.

   Part 2

   Keeping your newborn healthy

   1. Let your baby lie on his stomach. After your baby has spent most of the time on his back, it is important to let him lie on his tummy as well. This way, he can begin to develop physically and mentally, as well as develop muscles in his arms and neck. Some doctors recommend lying on your tummy for 15-20 minutes every day, while others say it's best to lay it down for 5 minutes several times a day.

      • You can place it on your tummy as soon as your belly button falls off.
      • To make tummy time fun, look at your baby, play with him, or tickle him.
      • It's hard work and some babies resist turning over. If this happens, don't get discouraged or give up.

   2. Take care of your baby's umbilical cord. The baby's umbilical cord stump will fall off in about two weeks. It will change color from greenish-yellow to brown, and then fall off on its own. It is important to take care of it before it falls off to avoid infections. Here's what you should do:

      • Keep your belly button clean. Clean it with plain water and dry it with a clean, absorbent cloth. Make sure you wash your hands before handling the stump. Wash your baby in the bath with the sponge until it falls off.
      • Keep your belly button dry. Let the skin breathe by opening the top of your baby's diaper.
      • Resist the urge to tear it off yourself. Let the stump fall off on its own.
      • Watch for signs of infection. It is natural if you see some dried blood or a slight crust near the stump; however, you should see a doctor immediately if it has a foul odor or yellowish pus, continues to bleed, or looks swollen and red.

   3. Learn to soothe a crying newborn. If your baby is crying, it's not always easy to find a reason. But there are a few tricks you can try. Check the diaper. Try feeding the baby. If that doesn't work, try removing extra layers of clothing if he's hot, or wrapping him up more if he's cold. Sometimes your child just wants to be held or expresses his emotions this way. As you get to know your child better, you will begin to understand him well.

      • Sometimes your baby just needs to burp.
      • Rock him gently or sing him a lullaby. This can help. Give your baby a pacifier if that doesn't help. Maybe he's tired, so put him down. Sometimes babies just cry, so wait until he's asleep.

   4. Communicate with your newborn. You can't play with your baby yet, but they might get bored. Try taking him for a walk in the park, talking to him, hanging pictures in his room, playing him music, or taking him in the car. Remember that he is still a child and is not ready for serious games. Don't shake the baby, try to be more gentle.

      • In the beginning, the main thing is to establish a connection with the child. This means petting your baby, rocking him, touching him, or even giving him a baby massage.
      • Children love to hear voices. Therefore, it will never be bad if you talk to him, babble, coo or sing to the baby. Play him music or use toys that make sounds.
      • Some children are less receptive to touch. If your baby doesn't respond much to touch, try bonding with sounds or lights until your baby gets used to it.

   5. Visit your child's doctor regularly. During the first year, your baby will need to see the doctor frequently for routine checkups. Many newborns visit a doctor within 1-3 days after being discharged from the hospital. Each doctor's visit will be about the same, but you should definitely bring your baby to the hospital two weeks to a month after birth, after the second month, and then every month. It's important to schedule visits to the doctor to make sure your child grows up healthy and gets the care he needs.

      • It's important to see a doctor right away if you notice anything strange. Even if you're not sure if it's something abnormal, it's always best to call your doctor to be on the safe side.
      • Some symptoms you should pay attention to:
        • Dehydration: less than three diapers per day, excessive sleepiness, dry mouth
        • Bowel problems: no bowel movements for the first two days, white mucus in the stool, spots or streaks of red in the stool, excessively high or low temperature
        • Breathing problems: grunting, flaring nostrils, fast or noisy breathing, chest retraction
        • Umbilical cord stump problems: pus, foul odor, or bleeding
        • Jaundice: yellowish color of the chest, body, or eyes
        • Prolonged crying: baby cries non-stop for more than thirty minutes
        • Other illnesses: persistent cough, diarrhea, pallor, severe vomiting for more than two consecutive feedings, less than 6 feedings per day

   6. Prepare your child for riding in the car. You must prepare for this even before the baby is born, because you will need to take him home from the hospital. You need to purchase a special seat for newborns and make sure that it is safe. You may not have to spend a lot of time in the car with your baby. Some mothers find that traveling in a car calms their baby and makes it easier for him to fall asleep.

      • You should also purchase a child seat that will help your child sit. In this type of seat, the base should be non-slip and wider than the seat itself. It should also have a secure locking mechanism, along with washable fabric. Never place a child in a seat on elevated surfaces from which the child could fall.
      • Make sure the seat meets all safety requirements and is suitable for your child. A child should not ride in a car without a seat until he or she is two years old.

All parents who have a baby in their family must know the most important rules for caring for him. All newborn babies are defenseless and very tiny, so they need special care. If a couple becomes parents for the first time, they may have some problems caring for a child, since they do not yet have any experience. What are the basic rules for caring for a newborn baby?

The umbilical wound needs to be treated

Until the umbilical cord remnant falls off on its own, it should be treated with some kind of antiseptic (this could be brilliant green, a 70% alcohol solution, potassium permanganate).

After the baby is born, the umbilical cord is cut, so an umbilical wound is formed. It is the most suitable place for microbes to live. To avoid this, you need to take very careful care of this place. . The crusts that form at the bottom of the umbilical wound should be removed with a cotton swab, which must be moistened in advance with a solution of hydrogen peroxide.

After the wound has been treated with peroxide, it must be treated in the same way with a cotton swab, previously moistened with brilliant green. But very often, instead of brilliant green, they use an infusion of calendula, since it has the same effect as brilliant green (healing and antibacterial), but its advantage is that it is almost transparent, and this will allow the mother to see if there is any redness.

It is best to clean the umbilical wound after the baby is bought. If the umbilical wound bleeds for any reason or there are obvious signs of an inflammatory process, you should immediately call a pediatrician. Typically, a baby's umbilical wound heals in eight to ten days.

It is necessary to bathe the baby

The best time for this procedure is before evening feeding. It is important to monitor the temperature of the water in which you will bathe your child; it should be 36-37 degrees. Until the umbilical wound has healed, the child needs to be bathed in boiled water; when the healing process is completed, then tap water from the tap will be suitable for bathing. Many parents are interested in the question: “Where should I bathe my baby?”

Very often, a special bath (baby bath) is bought for bathing a baby. But the benefits of bathing in such a bath are minimal, since it only brings convenience to the child’s parents, but there are no positive aspects for the child’s health from bathing in such a bath.

The baby needs to be bathed in a large bathtub, where he can roll over onto his stomach from the back and move his legs and arms freely. All this helps strengthen the immune system and trains muscles. But it is important to clean the bath very well before bathing your child. In no case should you use any industrial products when washing; ordinary baking soda can do this task perfectly.

Bathing is a kind of stress for the child’s body, so before this procedure you need to warm up the baby’s body. To do this, it is enough to do light exercises or massage. Each procedure should take about fifteen minutes, after which you can begin the bathing procedure. The baby must be completely immersed in the water; one hand should be held by the chin, and the other hand should be held under the back of the head.

It is important to monitor the baby’s behavior; if he actively moves his legs and arms, this means that he does not like the temperature of the water. If the baby is relaxed and lies calmly, then next time he can be bathed in water whose temperature is one degree lower.

There are a very large number of products designed for bathing a child. To choose the right foam, gel or shampoo for your child, you need to pay attention to the following:

• Compound. You need to read the label carefully. The product should not contain any bright dyes, preservatives that are prohibited, or active dietary supplements. The product itself should not have any strong odor, and its color should not be very bright. The best option is a colorless product.
• pH value. The pH of adult skin is 5.5. But this does not mean at all that the baby’s is exactly the same. The baby's pH is 6.8. That is, when choosing products to care for your baby, it is important to pay attention to the fact that the pH is exactly 6.8. After just a month or even a few weeks, you can use products that have a neutral pH level.
• Supplements If the baby has any allergic reactions, then there is no need to choose products with herbal supplements.

It is important to maintain cleanliness

Cleanliness is the key to keeping your baby healthy. The room in which you will spend most of your time should be clean and tidy. It is important to ventilate the room so that there is clean air there, and carry out wet cleaning once or twice a day. Parents should make sure that they do not have long nails, as they can accidentally injure the baby’s delicate skin. It is important to always wash your hands with soap before touching your baby.

Mothers need to take care of their hygiene and take regular showers or baths. Before feeding her child, she needs to rinse her breasts with warm water. You can allow the baby to have contact with visitors (friends, relatives, etc.) no earlier than two months from his birthday.

It is important to choose the right clothes for your newborn baby

When buying any clothes for a small miracle, you need to pay attention not to the design, but to the quality of the material. The material from which things for children are made must be natural. Things need to be chosen according to the time of year. Many mothers have heard the advice that you need to put on a layer more clothes on your child than on yourself. But this advice is not always valid. It is necessary to regularly measure the baby's body temperature to avoid overheating. A small child does not need to be covered with a very warm blanket, wrapped up and put on as many clothes as possible.

Each parent can independently choose what he will use as the first clothing for the child. Many people refuse to swaddle their babies, preferring to dress them immediately in baby onesies and rompers. Others are still of the opinion that in the first months of a baby’s life the baby should be swaddled. Doctors allow both the first and second options. If the baby is not swaddled, then it is very good to dress him in vests that have sewn sleeves. This is necessary so that the baby does not scratch his face. For the same purpose, “scratchers” can be placed on his arms.

You need to take a walk in the fresh air with your child

It is important for your child to be outdoors every day, no matter what time of year. The first walk should not be very long. For the first time, ten to fifteen minutes will be enough. All subsequent walks should gradually increase. In warm seasons, the walk should be five to six hours, and in cold seasons - about an hour. It is best to take a walk with your baby twice a day.

They are not recommended only in such cases: when there is very heavy rain and wind outside, as well as in winter, when the temperature is below five degrees below zero. If the weather is like this, then it is best to put the child in a stroller and place the stroller on the balcony. In the summer, you should avoid exposing your baby to direct sunlight. For a walk, your baby needs to choose clothes according to the weather. When going for a walk, be sure to take a raincoat with you so that the occasional rain does not cause inconvenience. There are also special mosquito nets that can protect against various insects.

It is necessary to maintain the required level of humidity in the room and the required temperature

The air in the room where the baby is located should be at a temperature of 22 degrees. It is important to ensure that the temperature under no circumstances exceeds 25 degrees. The air humidity in the room where the child is is also important. It is best that the air humidity is between forty and sixty percent. If the air humidity is higher than the indicated numbers, then there is a chance that the baby may overheat.

And if the air humidity in the room is very low, then the baby’s mucous membranes may become dry, and this is a good environment for germs to enter and multiply. If there is such an opportunity, then it is very good to purchase. Every day you should ventilate the room in which the baby is located. However, under no circumstances should you leave it in a ventilated room, as it may catch a cold. Regardless of the season and the weather, the room needs to be ventilated four to five times a day for twenty to thirty minutes.

Baby's sleeping place

This issue also needs to be taken seriously. A newborn baby needs to purchase a separate crib. It must be located in a place that will be protected from drafts. It is important that the crib is made from clean ecological raw materials so that the material is resistant to moisture. The best material for making a crib is natural wood. should be treated every day with regular clean water, without using any cleaning agents or disinfectants.

The blanket should be selected according to the time of year in which the child was born. If the season is cool, then it is good to use a blanket made of natural wool; for the warm season, a flannelette blanket is an excellent choice. A cotton blanket is not recommended for children, as the baby may suffocate under it.

You need to wash or press your baby's blanket about once a month. It is best to choose bedding in pastel colors, as bright colors can irritate the baby. Fabrics should be natural, preferably cotton.

The child will not need a pillow in the first year. Instead, you can lay a fourfold folded diaper on your baby.

Using children's cosmetics

Today there are many different products to care for the delicate skin of the little miracle. The most important thing is not to overdo it with cosmetics. It is important that the baby's skin can breathe. Creams for babies should be used only in cases where there is really such a need. For the first six months, the baby can be bathed without the use of shampoos, foams and gels.

Air baths

For newborns, this procedure is an integral part of care! Every time a mother changes her child’s clothes or changes his diaper, she should leave him naked for a few minutes. The time of air baths per day should be two hours. If you use disposable diapers to care for your baby, they need to be changed more often.

Morning toilet of the baby

Every morning, doctors recommend that mothers wash their baby’s eyes. This can be done with cotton swabs, using a new swab for each eye. The eyes should be wiped from the outer corner to the inner corner. If pus occurs, you should immediately inform your doctor about it, as pus can indicate various problems. You should also keep your baby's nose clean. Clean it with cotton swabs (with limiters so as not to damage the mucous membranes). Cotton swabs are pre-moistened in oil.

The baby's ears are cleaned with the same sticks with limiters in cases where a large layer of sulfur accumulates. This must be done very carefully so as not to injure the child. In girls, the genitals should be treated only from the front and back, in boys - vice versa. As for washing: when washing the boy, you should hold him with one hand so that his tummy is on his mother’s forearm. In this case, the child must be held by the thigh. The baby's head is located on the bend of the elbow. The ass, legs, backs and crotch need to be washed carefully. Water should first be scooped into your palm, and only then rinsed off the child. The genitals are washed carefully in the same way. Under no circumstances should you try to expose the head of the penis or retract the foreskin.

When washing a girl, she should be placed on her forearm, but only with her tummy up. This way, contaminants will not be able to get into the genital crevice. The girl needs to be washed very carefully, there is no need to pull back the labia and wash the genitals very hard. You just need to remove visible dirt from the folds.

The child does not need to be exposed to a strong stream of tap water. Water should be scooped into your palm, the skin should be washed with gentle stroking movements. After all, the baby’s skin is very delicate, so it is important not to injure it.

After washing, it is enough to blot the baby’s wet skin with a diaper, because wiping can be traumatic and not particularly pleasant.

To prevent diaper rash, clean and dry skin of a newborn should be treated with special oil. The oil is applied to the hand and warms up. There is no need to pour oil directly from the bottle onto your baby's skin; he may not like it very much. Using gentle and massaging movements, the oil is distributed throughout the body, paying special attention to the folds, namely the groin folds, elbow folds, armpits, folds behind the ears, on the neck, palms and wrists.

Newborn babies grow sharp nails very quickly, and to prevent them from injuring themselves, these nails must be trimmed in a timely manner. To trim her nails, mom will need special scissors with rounded ends. You can buy special scissors at any children's store or pharmacy, or you can use regular nail scissors. Before each nail trimming procedure, the instrument should be disinfected.

The birth of a child is the most awaited day and great happiness for new parents. An important function of parents is constant care for the baby. During the newborn period, many important internal changes occur with the child: restructuring of the circulatory system, activation of the body's defense systems and getting used to a new life outside the mother's belly. After the birth of a child, young parents experience a period of worry and trouble, which is accompanied by questions about how to care for a newborn baby in the first days of life. Therefore, it is extremely important to approach this with responsibility and understand problematic issues, so how to care for a newborn baby in the first month, step by step can be presented as follows: care while in the maternity hospital, care for the umbilical cord, skin, nose and ears.

How to care for a newborn baby in the first days

Newborn babies spend the first days of life with their mothers in the maternity hospital, where they are under the supervision of pediatricians and obstetricians. This period is difficult in its own way for a newborn: he adapts to the new external environment, begins to breathe and feed on his own. In order for the period of stay with the baby to be successfully completed, the young mother needs to know how to care for a newborn in the maternity hospital.

How to hold a newborn baby? At first glance, the baby seems very small and fragile, but you should not be afraid to touch it, since skin contact between mother and child has a positive effect on its development and adaptation. Over time, maternal instinct and accumulated experience will allow you to feel more confident with your child. When in contact with the baby, be sure to gently hold his head, communicate with him gently and smile more often. Try holding and carrying the baby alternately on the right and then on the left side.

How to take care of your baby’s hygiene in the maternity hospital? The baby’s skin is very delicate and susceptible to minor injuries, so proper skin care and hygiene is an important task for a mother in the maternity hospital.

Every morning the child needs to be washed and cared for for his eyes, nose, and ears. These procedures are best performed in the morning. The baby is placed on a changing table, where the face and hands are wiped with a damp cotton swab, and then wiped with a clean soft napkin. The eyes are washed, starting from the outer corner to the inner one, using a separate napkin for each eye, and the ears are wiped with soft cotton balls. Just like the eyes, the nose is cleaned with separate cotton wool, each nasal turbinate is washed with a separate band. At the end of the morning toilet, you need to wash the child and lubricate the dry skin with cream.

How to change diapers

A newborn's diaper should be changed as it gets dirty, preferably every 2-3 hours. It is recommended to use better quality diapers that are breathable and absorb moisture.

How to change a diaper in the maternity hospital?

• Unwaddle the baby lying on his back and remove his dirty diaper;
• Wash the child and sprinkle with talcum powder;
• Unpack the clean diaper: slightly lift the child by the legs and carefully place the diaper under him;
• Straighten the lapels of the diaper and fasten it;
• Check whether the baby is comfortable in the diaper and how it fits to the body (one finger should fit between the body and the belt);
• The diaper belt needs to be folded outward from the umbilical wound to allow air circulation.

How to swaddle a baby

Doctors recommend using loose swaddling, in which the newborn feels comfortable and moves his legs freely. In the maternity hospital, it is advisable to swaddle the baby with arms for the first few days, and later they can be left free.

How to care for a newborn baby in the first month

In the first month of life, a child has a strong ability to rapidly develop, learn and understand the world around him. The quality of care for the baby largely determines his well-being, development and health. In order to properly care for a child in the first month of life, three conditions must be followed:

• Parents must be sufficiently knowledgeable about care issues;
• Strictly follow the rules and techniques of care;
• Have the necessary clothing and care items.

The first month of a baby’s life includes adaptation to the new environment, which the newborn himself and his parents undergo. There is also a distribution of responsibilities between mother and father. Comprehensive baby care involves a whole range of daily and weekly activities: feeding, sleeping, hardening, walking in the fresh air and massage.

How to care for a newborn's belly button

In the maternity hospital, a disposable clip with a clothespin will be placed on the umbilical cord. The child himself does not feel the presence of a clothespin. In the maternity hospital, the neonatologist will definitely tell you how to care for a newborn's umbilical cord and umbilical wound.

After birth, the umbilical cord dries out over time, and after a few weeks it disappears completely. After the clothespin falls off in its place an umbilical wound forms, which will heal over time. In order for it to heal painlessly, you must adhere to the following care rules:

• It is not recommended to bathe the baby only when the umbilical remnant has fallen off;
• To prevent diaper rash around the navel, it is necessary to take air baths several times a day;
• If a crust has formed instead of the umbilical cord residue, you need to apply a swab moistened with a 3% peroxide solution to it, then blot it with a dry cloth and treat the wound with brilliant green.

Baby's skin is very sensitive and requires careful care. It is important to keep skin folds dry at all times. . How to care for the skin of a newborn baby so that it always remains smooth and tender?

In the first days of your baby's life, it is not necessary to bathe him every day. It is enough to dip the child in warm water every 3-4 days. The rest of the time, you should only wipe your face, hands and feet with a damp cotton swab or soft cloth. Ideal for skin care: specialized baby creams, oils or talcs.

Peeling skin can be lubricated with peach or sterilized olive oil. Mother's milk can be used as oil for the baby's skin, as it has excellent antibacterial and wound-healing properties.

A child’s nasal turbinates are quite narrow and small, so various blockages (mucus, lint from blankets and clothes, dust particles) can cause uncomfortable breathing. To avoid this, you should clean the room where the child is.

There are several rules about how to care for a newborn's nose baby that mothers need to know:

1. Clean the nose exclusively with a flagellum made of clean cotton wool, first moisten it with boiled water;
2. Insert the tourniquet into the nasal passage not deeply and with gentle rotational movements;
3. Separate tourniquets should be used for the left and right turbinates;
4. To prevent a runny nose, you need to use a saline solution or breast milk.