Parents’ first month with a newborn
“With every newborn baby, a little sunrise rises!”
God’s blessing has arrived in the house and you’re contemplating every little thing to provide for your little one. Hold your newborn’s fingers and step on this beautiful journey.
Caring for your baby
Your baby may be the only one born lately, but their addition to the home is a big change for everyone. Juggling your new role as a parent with all of your adult responsibilities in the first few weeks can be daunting and hard for even experienced parents.
What to expect
The first week is still a period of recovery and adjustment. Not only because of the likely tiredness from regular night feeding but also because one small infant can eat up the hours in a day! Prioritize any necessary domestic tasks and avoid trying to cram too many into a single day.
Feeding and mealtime routines for newborn babies
You can expect your baby to feed every 2-3 hours, around the clock, during the first few days and weeks of his or her life. If your baby is cluster feeding, it may be more frequent. Some new parents are concerned about cluster feeding because they believe it means their baby isn’t getting enough nourishment, but it is normal newborn behaviour and can help you stabilise your milk supply if you are nursing. Newborns should not go more than 4-5 hours without feeding because it can affect their weight gain and development.
Feeding may appear unstable in the beginning, but rest assured this is natural. Over the next few weeks, you’ll want to help your baby create a routine that ensures they’re fed every three hours during the day for the first few months.
Baby’s bedtime routines
For the first month, newborns sleep a lot and nap a lot, spending up to 20 hours a day asleep and no more than 60-90 minutes awake at a time. As long as your baby is placed on their back and a firm surface, there are many places where your baby can sleep safely, such as a crib, bassinet, or Moses basket.
After feeding your newborn baby and checking for anything which may be causing a disturbance, allow a little time to connect with your baby. They will also get solace from nearness and voice.
Settling the baby in a crib
When starting to settle your baby into the crib, it’s significant to remember that they have no context of what a crib is and that they are expected to sleep in it. Therefore, it’s vital to create a routine when leaving your baby to sleep.
White noise to soothe the baby
Low-pitched sounds, such as rain or a steady mechanical thrum are ideal for use. White noise is most beneficial when used for both day and night sleeping and is kept on for the duration of the sleep. If your newborn wakes up restless, try to re-settle him or her in the crib or, if that goes wrong, repeat the holding and rocking method
Diapers for the little one
You can expect 1 or 2 wet diapers on your baby’s first day of life. This will increase gradually each day until day five. You can expect your baby to have 6 (or more) wet diapers per day after that. You should keep track of how many wet diapers your baby has because this is a good indicator of whether or not they are getting enough milk or formula.
Caring for yourself
It’s also a nice time to be gentle with yourself. It is crucial to recognise and respect the emotions that come with becoming a parent, so avoid attempting to follow ‘pre-baby’ routines. It makes no difference if you spend the entire day in your pyjamas; what counts is that you eat regularly and relax when you can.
Nourishment for the new mother
Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, leafy greens, protein-rich foods, and omega-3-rich foods like nuts and seeds. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins or try an omega 3 fatty acid supplement, which has been shown to improve the brain development of nursing babies as well as your memory.
The emotional rollercoaster
Parenting can evoke beautiful but sometimes upsetting feelings and memories. There is no better time to seek help if you are having difficulty managing any anxiety, lack of confidence, persistent sadness, or feelings of depression.
Experts to the rescue!
Like many other new parents, you may benefit from the assistance of a lactation consultant, physical therapist, pelvic floor therapist, nutritionist, sleep consultant, or other professionals.
Takeaway
Postpartum care should be a continuous process rather than a one-time event, with services and support tailored to each person’s specific needs. If you are looking for solutions, consult Kanupriya Khanna. She is regarded as one of the best dietitians in Delhi because of her unwavering commitment to making a difference in people’s lives by instilling good eating habits and lifestyles.