Bring your baby home
New parents don't get any special training to prepare them for the first few days after giving birth. Here are some tips for new parents.Feeding And Diapering, Or What Goes In Must Come Out
While we might overlook this guideline, there is a distinct relationship between what goes into your baby's mouth and what comes out in the diaper. A baby that is taking in adequate nutrition will need a minimum of 6 diapers in 24 hours, and might well need 12-14. Difficulty number-one for new parents is often figuring out if the diaper is, indeed, wet. While this might seem obvious to those used to dealing with cloth diapers, the new “high-tech” disposables can be tricky. Many a parent has stuck his or her finger into the diaper to check for wetness. While this is one possible technique, if little Emily has had a bowel movement, a less invasive technique might be preferable.Since disposables are designed to draw wetness away from your baby's bottom, urine is drawn towards the outside lining instead of remaining near the center. Pick up a fresh diaper from the pack. It should have a rough, “crackly” sound when rubbed between your fingers. Now take a used (wet only) one. Add a bit of water if it is not distinctly wet. When you rub the outside, it will have a smoother, more gelatinous feel, and a softer sound.
If you are getting those 6-8 wet diapers, whatever you are doing is working! Breast milk is more easily digested than formula, therefore babies may feed more often. Also, personality differences are more obvious with breast-feeding – there are those who want a full meal, others who are snackers, and still others who are cluster eaters and feed frequently, seemingly non-stop for an hour or two, and then take a break.
Breast Or Formula?
The research on the benefits of breast-feeding is voluminous. The more it is studied, the more we learn about the intricate perfection of breast milk for an infant. Breast-feeding, even for a short time, still brings benefit to the newborn. However, the decision to feed by breast or use formula is a personal one.There are many reasons why women choose one method over another, and it is important to understand and support whichever decision they make. If breast-feeding is too stressful for a particular mom, especially if she has little support around her for breast-feeding and is lacking in self-confidence about her ability to breast-feed, then formula may be a better choice for her. Indeed, it may allow her to be more relaxed and therefore bond better with her newborn.
Postpartum General
No one is truly prepared for new-parent fatigue. Being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is a grueling schedule. Newborns need around-the-clock care, and many infants seem to prefer to be especially active between 1 and 4 AM, a time when you may not be your most perky. This is not the time to be shy about accepting help.If this child is your first, rest whenever the baby sleeps. If you are formula feeding and have a partner, consider taking shifts. If both of you are up for every bottle and diaper, you will expire in stereo.
If you are breast-feeding, try to get help in between feedings, and you take a nap. You won't see 8 hours a night for a long time, so you have to learn to catnap.
If you have another child who is home with you during the day, keep special toys or videos for times when you need the additional help and rest and can't give her your full attention. Consider an indoor picnic: spread an old tablecloth on the floor, and let the older child sit and watch a video while she eats. When it's done, just shake the tablecloth outside.
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