Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Saturday | 5 October 2024 | Epaper
BREAKING: ● Sailor dies after oil tanker catches fire in Ctg      ● Ex-president Badruddoza Chowdhury passes away      ● Killing during students' movement: 9 bodies to be exhumed in Sylhet      ● Malaysian prime minister leaves Dhaka for home      ● CA seeks Malaysian support for Bangladesh to be ASEAN dialogue partner      ● Malaysian PM assures of attention to 18,000 Bangladesh workers       ● Bid to kill Khaleda Zia: Sheikh Hasina among 113 sued      

Health Advice

Guide for first-time parents

Published : Saturday, 24 August, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 2457
Women\'s Own Desk
Life has changed now that your baby is here, and you might have lots of questions about what to do. These tips can help first-time parents feel confident about caring for a newborn in no time.

An important part of caring for a newborn is to also take care of yourself. Consider getting help during this time, which can feel hectic and a bit overwhelming.

Relatives and friends might want to help. Even if you disagree on some things, their own experiences might be helpful.
To keep your baby healthy, anyone handling your little one should be up to date on their vaccines and help only if they feel well. But if you don't feel up to having guests or have other concerns, don't feel guilty about limiting visitors.

If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, they may seem very fragile. Here are a few basics to remember:
Wash your hands (or use a hand sanitizer) before handling your baby. Newborns don't have a strong immune system yet, so they're at risk for infections. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has clean hands.

Support your baby's head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby. And support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay your baby down.

Never shake your baby, whether in play or in frustration. Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain and sometimes death. If you need to wake your baby, don't do it by shaking. Instead, tickle your baby's feet or blow gently on a cheek.
Always fasten your baby securely when using a carrier, stroller, or car seat. Limit any activity that could be too rough or bouncy.

Avoid rough play with newborns, such as jiggling them on the knee or throwing them in the air.

Bonding with your baby: Bonding happens during the first hours and days after birth when parents make a deep connection with their child. Physical closeness can help form an emotional link and help your baby develop in other ways. Another way to think of bonding is "falling in love" with your baby. Kids thrive from having a parent or other adult in their life who loves them unconditionally.

Begin bonding by cradling and gently stroking your baby in different patterns. Another good technique is skin-to-skin contact (also called kangaroo care), where you hold your newborn against your own chest. This helps calm and soothe babies and regulate their heartbeat. It's a good practice for moms or dads to do.

Here's how to do skin-to-skin contact with your baby:
Avoid using scented perfumes or lotions and stay away from cigarette smoke beforehand.
Find a comfortable seat in a dimly-lit room. Wear a shirt that opens in the front. Lay your baby in just a diaper on your bare chest.

Sit quietly, talk softly, hum, sing, or read aloud. Your baby may sleep during this time.
Soothing your baby: Helping babies relax can help them feel happier and more comfortable. Here are some tips on soothing your baby.

Massage: Infant massage may help babies, especially those who were born early or have medical problems. Some types of massage may enhance bonding and help babies grow and develop. Many books and videos cover infant massage - ask your doctor for recommendations. Be careful, though - babies aren't as strong as adults, so massage your baby gently.

Sounds: Babies usually love vocal sounds, such as talking, babbling, singing, and cooing. Your baby will probably enjoy listening to soft music. Baby rattles and musical mobiles are other good ways to stimulate your infant's hearing. If your little one is fussy, try singing, reciting poetry and nursery rhymes, or reading aloud as you sway or rock your baby gently in a chair.

Some babies can be unusually sensitive to touch, light, or sound. They might startle and cry easily, sleep less than expected, or turn their faces away when someone speaks or sings to them. If that's the case with your baby, keep noise and light levels low to medium.

Swaddling: Another soothing technique is swaddling, which works well for some babies during their first few weeks. Proper swaddling keeps a baby's arms close to the body while allowing their legs to move a bit. It keeps a baby warm, and it seems to give most newborns a sense of security and comfort. Swaddling also may help limit the startle reflex, which can wake a baby.

Here's how to swaddle your baby:
Spread out a baby blanket with one corner folded over slightly.
Lay the baby face-up on the blanket with their head above the folded corner.
Wrap the left corner over the baby's body and tuck it beneath the back, going under the right arm.

Bring the bottom corner up over the baby's feet and pull it toward their head, folding the fabric down if it gets close to your baby's face. Don't wrap too tightly around the hips. The hips and knees should be slightly bent and turned out. Wrapping your baby too tightly may increase their risk for hip dysplasia (dis-PLAY-zhuh).

Wrap the right corner around your baby, and tuck it under their back on the left side, leaving only the neck and head exposed. To make sure your baby isn't wrapped too tightly, make sure you can slip a hand between the blanket and your baby's chest. This will allow comfortable breathing. But make sure that the blanket isn't so loose that it could come undone.

Stop swaddling when your baby shows signs of starting to roll over. That's usually around 2 months. At this age, some babies can roll over while swaddled, which puts them at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

How to change your baby's diaper : Whether you use cloth or disposable diapers, your little one will dirty them about 10 times a day, which is about 70 times a week. When diapering your baby:
Have all the supplies you need within reach.

Wipe your baby front to back gently using water, cotton balls, and a washcloth or wipes. Apply diaper cream if needed to treat diaper rash. Wash your hands after changing the diaper.    
    
Source: Collected



LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
The value of maintaining perfect attire at workplace for mental health
NGCAF for enacting law to stop sexual violence against girls, women
Journalists' role stressed for prevention of sexual violence against children with disabilities
Afghan women can seek refugee status based on nationality, gender: EU top court
Hair care tips for different hair types in rainy day
Changing landscape of divorce & social norms in Bangladesh
Tips for working mom to stay healthy
Nail care at home
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: info©dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝