Parents would agree that when it comes to your baby, prevention is better than cure. Therefore as parents, you ought to take the necessary steps and measure to prevent an unfavourable situation before it actually happens.
Hygiene around the House
Before you start panicking at the thought of microscopic dangers floating around your house, consider this first: You can’t escape germs completely – but here is what you can do to reduce and limit exposure to them.
- Vacuum the house thoroughly at least once a week, and also changing bed sheets regularly to prevent trapped dust mites.
- As the caregiver, ensure that you wash your hands regularly to prevent transmission of germs to your baby.
- Close your toilet lid before flushing to prevent sprays of water landing on surfaces like the sink and even toothbrushes lying nearby.
- The kitchen, one of the dirtiest places in the house should be cleaned and disinfected regularly. The fridge is also a good breeding ground for bacteria and germs.
- Your baby’s high chair should be scrubbed, flossed (in the crevices) and sprayed down every other day.
- Many parents overlook their children’s toys. Plastic toys should be scrubbed, especially if they are bath toys as mould can build up. Soft toys should also be washed regularly to prevent allergies from dust.
Baby Care & Hygiene
Caring for a baby is hard work. It can be very daunting to be responsible for the needs of a newborn, but with little practice, some basic instructions, common sense and a routine, these tasks become easier.
- Sterilise baby’s bottles and teats. Unused milk should be thrown out and not to be reheated for the next feed as this encourages bacterial growth.
- A baby will require its nappy to be changed frequently, either after urinating, defecating or both. Clean nappy area thoroughly and apply a layer of barrier ointment with each change to prevent the occurrences of nappy rash. With girls, always clean from front to back to prevent urinary tract infections.
- There is no need to bathe your baby everyday. As a baby’s skin can tend to be quite dry and sensitive, plain water and either a plain soft wash cloth or cotton wool/pads should be used. Often in the first few months, soaps, shampoos, talcs and moisturisers are not needed unless you feel confident that their skin can cope with it.
- During the first week, until the umbilical cord remnants have been shed, the area should be cleansed at least once a day, often twice to prevent it becoming sore and infected and to encourage it to come off without problem. Using clean warm water and some pieces of cotton wool or gauze, gently wipe the area once and discard the cotton, repeated this until any hard scabbed areas are softened, or have been removed.
Keeping Baby Warm
Babies do not have complete control over their body temperature until they are older. That is why it is important to keep your baby bundled up and kept warm while their bodies mature and learn how to self regulate. As a rule of thumb, an infant needs one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear at the same temperature. Things to wear include:
- One-piece outfits: One-piece bodysuits simplify dressing. Look for clothes made in a soft fabric with wide head openings and loose-fitting ankle and leg cuffs. Also look for finished seams, and avoid zippers.
- Wearable blankets: Wearable blankets will keep your baby warm at night without your worrying about a blanket covering his head, particularly if he tosses and turns at night.
- Cotton shirts: Choose soft shirts, preferably with snaps at the neck for easier fitting. Undershirts are good for layering and will also protect your newborn’s skin from any seams or roughness in his outer garments. Choose undershirts that snap under the crotch so they don’t ride up.
- Sweater or jacket: Most babies don’t like having clothes pulled over their heads, so warm up your baby with a sweater or jacket that buttons down the front.
- Socks and booties: Stores sell shoes for newborns, but since your baby isn’t walking: warm your baby’s feet in socks or booties.
Nutrition for Baby
The first year of your baby’s life is a time of rapid growth and development. Therefore it is important to provide your baby with the right foods which will promote good health. All babies develop at their own rate, therefore it is the responsibility of the parent or healthcare provider to decide whether to use breast milk or formula; if using formula; what kind; when to introduce solids; and what solids to introduce.
- Breast milk is the best food for baby. However, iron-fortified infant formula also provides babies with all the nutrients they need to grow.
- Be sure formula is prepared according to package directions. Mixing formula with too much or too little water can cause serious health problems and even death in young babies.
- Feed whenever the baby indicates she is hungry-about every two hours.
- Avoid adding juice or other sweetened drinks to the bottle. Although babies like the sweet taste of juice and other beverages, these drinks fill them up and take the place of more nutritious breast milk or formula that babies need.
- Avoid starting solid foods early. This may mean that the baby will not drink enough milk and not get the calcium, protein, and iron that are so important for growth. These nutrients are in the right amount in breast milk and iron-fortified formula.
- Avoid putting baby to bed with a bottle. Putting babies to bed with a bottle begins a sleeping habit that is hard to change later.
- Babies put to bed with bottles may choke, tend to have more ear infections, and are at risk of nursing bottle syndrome, a problem of serious tooth decay when the baby’s teeth begin to come in.
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