For first-time mothers, newborn care is quite challenging. Adapting to this unfamiliar situation, getting used to the baby, meeting the baby’s needs, and all the while listening to grandmothers and great-aunts talking in unison, exhausts the mother.
The baby’s process of adapting to this new environment, which has left the sterile, comfortable and safe environment of the womb, runs parallel to the mother’s process of adjusting to the changed conditions for herself, who has never had to care for a baby before. Both exhaust each other in this process, but both need each other. On the other hand, meeting the baby’s needs is the key to the mother’s adjustment and recovery.
What to Consider in Newborn Care?
Knowing what a newborn baby needs and the main themes that play an important role in his/her care can prevent mistakes or negligence, as well as put the mother at ease. So, what might be needed in the care of a newborn baby? The first and foremost need is information.
Then comes the prenatal preparations. As the mother and father complete the prenatal preparations, the burden on them will decrease, they will feel more prepared and the comfort of having everything they need at hand in the first days after the birth will be comforting. Necessities such as baby care and cleaning wipes, diapers, milking machine, milk storage bags should be completed before the birth if possible.
Newborn care is divided into three main categories: feeding, sleeping and bathing. It is also necessary to learn about the health checks and vaccination schedule that should be done during this period.
Research first!
The first days of newborn care can be very stressful. Before the birth; Preparing notes for yourself from some topics such as the list of things to do for newborn care, newborn needs list, notes for things to be considered in newborn baby care, and sharing what you have in mind within the framework of these notes with the health worker can make things easier. It may even reduce your stress.
List of newborn care supplies
- Baby changing set: It makes things a lot easier if you buy baby changing cloths to spread on the floor where you will lay the baby to change them. This way, the sofa, carpet or bedspreads will not be stained. Cloth diapers or disposable diapers that you can use several times are ideal for this job. Diapers, wet towels or cotton cloths to clean the baby’s bottom, diaper rash cream, baby powder are other necessities. You can also buy a small changing basket to put all these things in. This way you don’t have to take the baby to his/her room every time. You can carry this basket with you to make the process easier.
- Baby care products: Baby shampoo, baby soap, baby bath tub, towels, baby lotion after bathing, comb, nail clippers are also part of baby care. If the environment is warm enough, bathing the baby almost every day helps the baby sleep better. Put a net over the baby’s bathtub filled with warm water, hold the baby and bathe with gentle movements. Then immediately towel dry and massage with baby lotion or baby oil and dress. This process helps the baby to burp and relax. Then you can feed the baby, burp it again and put it to sleep.
- Baby feeding: Breast milk should be the main food. To express breast milk, you will need a milking machine and a milk storage bag. On the other hand, a sterilizer for sterilizing materials such as bottles and pacifiers should be included in the list as a very useful baby care need. It is also important in baby care to keep breast milk at room temperature for 3 hours, in the refrigerator for 3 days and in the freezer for no longer than 3 months, to use sterilized bottles every time, and to choose bottles that do not cause gas.
- Requirements for the baby’s sleep: It is important to put the baby to sleep in a dimly lit environment in a bed where there is no possibility of the baby turning over and falling to the floor. You should prefer all-cotton fabrics for baby bed textiles, use a baby pillow and make sure that the baby’s diaper is clean, tummy is full and gas is removed before going to sleep.