Planning to return home:
The big day has finally arrived! It's time to return home with your new addition to the family. However, before you pack your child up and leave the hospital, there are a few important things to remember.- Dressing Baby: Choosing a baby's first clothing is rather thrilling. There are several gorgeous alternatives available, but for the fundamentals of a going home wardrobe, all you really need is a onesie or footie, a cap, and socks if the baby's feet are visible. "Keep it practical and comfortable," advises Dr Vibhu Kawatra, Pediatric- Pulmonologist & Allergy Specialist, Rainbow Hospital. Parents often overdress their newborn. Typically, newborns need one extra layer of clothes than adults. If it's chilly outside, pack a blanket to wrap over your infant in the car seat—but don't buckle the baby in bulky winter bunting. Bulky clothes might flatten down in the case of a collision, allowing the infant to fall beneath the harness.
- Getting home: Prepare for baby's first vehicle trip! So brush up on car seat safety. It should be rear-facing and fitted in the back seat, with the straps tight and the chest clip level with the baby's armpits.
- Choosing a paediatrician: There's one more thing you should do before leaving the hospital: choose a paediatrician for your kid. Baby's first doctor's visit is normally scheduled within two to three days after delivery, so interview candidates and make your decision before the baby comes. "Most paediatricians will do a free meet-and-greet," Vibhu claims. Attend a few consultations before deciding to have parents to ensure that your ideologies and personalities mesh well and that your family would benefit from the pregnancy.
Knowing the basics:
There is a lot that goes into caring for a baby, but there are a few things you should know before you bring your infant home. Prepare for your baby's cycle of sleep, eating, pooping, and repeating! Here's what to anticipate from a baby, including some apparently strange but quite typical behaviours.- Sleeping: You've undoubtedly prepared yourself for your baby's incessant nightly wakings, but when you first get home from the hospital, you'll have a little sleepyhead on your hands. Newborns usually sleep a lot in the first few weeks. They may sleep up to 20 to 22 hours a day. Make sure your newborn has a safe sleeping environment, such as a cot or bassinet that is devoid of toys, blankets, pillows and cushioned bumpers. Only your youngster and a securely fitting sheet should be in the bed.
- Eating: One of the most common worries among new parents is how much their babies should eat. Keep in mind, babies have very small stomachs, so they have to feed frequently. If you are breastfeeding, the advice is to feed your baby on demand, which means anytime they get hungry and ask for food. Experts estimate that this happens eight to twelve times every day. If you're bottle-feeding your infant with expressed breast milk or formula, experts recommend giving them 2 to 4 ounces every two to four hours.
- Peeing and pooping: Aside from the weigh-ins at the paediatrician's office, the easiest method to determine whether your infant is eating enough is to tally the number of wet and dirty nappies they produce each day. The amount of wet nappies a newborn should have in the first week of life correlates to how old they are—so a baby should have one wet diaper on the first day, two on the second day, three on the third day, and so on. After day six, you can expect six to eight wet nappies within 24 hours. Poopy nappies are counted significantly differently: experts recommend that breastfed newborns have at least one stool per day for the first three days, followed by three to four stools per day after that. Formula-fed newborns may defecate less regularly, sometimes not even once per day. You'll also become more aware of the colour and texture of your baby's excrement.
- Crying: Indeed, young babies cry a lot. Newborns are extraordinary in that they can communicate so successfully utilising lots of nonverbal emotions and signals, and crying is one of the most effective ways your baby can communicate.
- Care for the umbilical cord.: When you go home from the hospital, the baby's umbilical cord stump will still be mending. The best approach to care for it is to just let it alone. Make sure it remains dry and receives enough air.
FAQs on What Should New Parents Know Before Bringing Their Babies Home?
- When to Call the Doctor?Coming home with a baby may be daunting, and first-time parents may not always understand what is typical and what is not. If your infant exhibits any of the following symptoms, contact their doctor. 1. Yellow eyes or skin may indicate jaundice, 2. Eating badly or refusing to eat, 3. A fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or above, 4. Repeated vomiting, 5.Unusual or severe rash, 6.Frequent bowel motions with mucus or bad smell, 7. Crying excessively without a recognised reason
- What to do when your baby has crossed eyes?First-time parents may see their baby's eyes are crossed, which may be surprising. Don't stress out—it's quite natural. Newborns do not concentrate well at first, and their distant vision is restricted to 6 to 8 inches which is why their eyes may seem crossed at times.
