According to Dr. Sara Siddiqui (pediarist at Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, USA), equipping basic knowledge about newborn care will help parents feel more confident in the early days, while ensuring safety and healthy development for babies.
Preparing before leaving the hospital
Before being discharged from the hospital, parents should prepare enough clothes suitable for the weather for children. A set of clothes, hats and socks is a suitable choice. According to experts, newborns often need to wear one layer of clothing more than adults to keep warm, but should not wear too thick because it can make the baby hot.
Newborns sleep a lot
In the first few weeks after birth, newborns can sleep from 18-22 hours a day. This is a normal phenomenon because the body needs a lot of time to adapt to the external environment.
Experts recommend that children sleep in separate cribs or tubs, on a flat surface, only with snugly sheets. Do not place pillows, thick blankets, stuffed animals or soft items in the crib to reduce the risk of suffocation.
Babies need to be breastfed regularly
The stomach of newborns is still very small, so they need to be breastfed many times a day.
For exclusive breastfeeding children, parents should breastfeed according to the child's needs, averaging 8-12 feedings per day. If using formula or bottled breast milk, the amount of milk each time is usually about 60-120 ml, 2-4 hours apart depending on the needs of each baby.
Losing 5-8% of weight in the first week after birth is a normal phenomenon. Most children will regain their birth weight after about 1-3 weeks.
Monitor urination and bowel movements
The number of wet diapers and dirty diapers is an important sign reflecting whether the child is breastfeeding enough or not.
After about the sixth day, children usually have 6-8 wet diapers per day.
Crying is the first way to communicate
Crying is a method to help infants convey their needs to their parents. The baby may cry from hunger, drowsiness, wet diapers, too hot, too cold, or feeling uncomfortable.
Parents need to calmly observe to recognize the cause. Absolutely do not shake children when they feel stressed, because this action can cause serious brain damage.
Proper umbilical cord care
After being discharged from the hospital, the baby's umbilical cord still needs a few more days to dry and fall off on its own.
Parents should keep the umbilical cord area dry, only bathe and wipe the child's body until the umbilical cord completely falls off. Usually, the umbilical cord will fall off after about 7-10 days.
Limit children's access to crowded places
The immune system of newborns is still weak, so they are very susceptible to disease. Visitors need to wash their hands thoroughly before holding the baby, limit kissing the baby and should ensure they have been fully vaccinated with the necessary vaccines.
Experts recommend that parents can take their children for outdoor walks in cool places, but should limit taking them to shopping centers, supermarkets or crowded areas in the first 6-8 weeks after birth.
