A Little Advice For New Parents

As a new parent you face many problems and issues that you need to understand and deal with immediately. Newborns do not come with an instruction book so here is some information on some things that you need to know about.

Bathing your baby: Your baby’s umbilical cord will fall off in about one to two weeks after they are born. Until it falls out, you should only give your baby sponge baths. You could dampen a cotton ball or cotton swab with alcohol to help dry the umbilical stump or simply follow your paediatrician’s directions. You can give him a bath in a sink or shallow tub after the stump falls off.

Caesarean delivery: A caesarean is usually performed to make delivery safer for you or your baby. C-sections can be done for many different reasons including stalled labour, complicated labour, problems with the baby that may make delivery difficult, or other problems. It does not matter if you deliver vaginally or by a caesarean section, you are still a mother with a beautiful new blessing.

Circumcision: A lot of doctors feel that there are many benefits to having your baby circumcised, but it may not be absolutely necessary. It may help to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections and eliminates just about any chance of penile cancer. Circumcision will not cause any long-term emotional problems for your child.

Cot death (SIDS): Many studies have been done regarding SIDS. Although the cause of SIDS has not been definitely defined, there are some correlations that have been made between SIDS and the following things:

Female babies are less likely to die from SIDS than Male Babies

The risk is greater with premature birth

Minority children are more likely to be affected by SIDS than non-minority children are.

More children of young, single mothers die of SIDS

Smoking in the home greatly increases the risk of SIDS

Some people think that sleeping with your baby is okay and continue to let their babies sleep with them. The American Academy of Paediatrics disagrees with this and says that there is a greater risk of SIDS in babies who sleep with another person. Babies should sleep alone in a cradle or crib either next to or near an adult. You should never put pillows, blankets, stuffed animals or anything that might put your baby at risk in their bed.

Most paediatricians recommend that babies sleep on their back to decrease the risk of SIDS. The reason for this is widely debated between health experts. If you have concerns please talk to your paediatrician. There are no dumb questions when it comes to the health and safety of your child, so please don’t be afraid to ask for help.