For a newborn baby, everything comes first, and every moment is a challenge - unknown smells, tastes, sounds. And he still has to learn.
First scream
You've been waiting for him throughout your pregnancy. For you, it is a sign that your baby has arrived in the world, safe and sound. For a newborn baby, the first cry is the beginning of independent breathing. In your womb, oxygen was reaching him through the umbilical cord, and the alveoli in the lungs were not working. With the first gulp of air, the bubbles expand and the little one can breathe alone. It is believed that screaming is also a manifestation of the strength of a newborn baby. Loud and clear it means your little one is ready to live outside of the womb. Weak children, tired of difficult labor and premature babies, do not scream, sometimes whimper quietly. There are opinions, however, that the more child-friendly the birth, the less violently it cries - this applies, for example, to newborns born in water.
First feeding
It's best to put your baby to the breast as soon as possible after giving birth - it will give both the baby and you a sense of security. But when it is not possible (e.g. after cesarean section), do not worry - even if the baby is fed with a bottle for the first hours or even days, you have not lost the chance for natural breastfeeding! A child born on term is born with a suckling reflex (already in the womb he diligently trains it on his own thumb), and placed on the mother's belly - looks for a nipple. It's best to latch your baby to the breast (not the other way around) and help him find the nipple. A lot of patience and peace will be needed here. And don't expect the newborn to professionally latch on to the breast at the first attempt. Sometimes learning how to eat properly takes up to several weeks. The baby should cover not only the nipple with his mouth, but also a large part of the areola. If it is actually sucking food, you will hear a regular swallowing noise, and the breast will feel lighter, less full after feeding. And one more thing: the baby is not an automatic machine - we breastfeed it on demand. It will be different if you decide to use blends. The bottle should not be fed on demand, but every 3-4 hours, so that a small stomach has time to digest the meal. At the beginning, we serve 30-60 ml of milk at a time, at the end of the first month: 90-110 ml.
First night at home
This is a challenge - you leave the hospital and stay with your beloved little man for whom you are now responsible. Notpanic - you should know a few things and your instincts will tell you the rest. In order for the newborn to feel comfortable, the home should not be too warm or too cold. A temperature of 20-24ºC is optimal. Place the baby in a crib or a basket on its back. In young children, the position on the tummy is not recommended for sleep - this is how the toddler can spend the waking time when he is under the care of his parents. It is a good idea to surround the child with a "cocoon" from a rolled-up blanket or a cushion-playpen so that it is not disturbed by the excess of space around it. Also take care of a bedside lamp that gives a dim light. Soon after birth, sleep is the baby's main activity. However, if he sleeps for more than three hours, he should be gently awakened and offered a meal. Many young moms recall sleepless nights when they listened to whether the baby was breathing. Fortunately, this fear diminishes over time.
More: Important events in the life of the newborn
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