The Newborn Dos and Don’ts – A Cheat Sheet for New Parents

Here are some tips to help you to manage your baby. Imagine birth from a newborn’s perspective. They have just entered a new world from the safe and cosy womb they were gestating in. This outside world is a significant change for them - they learn to breathe external air for the first time, adjust to the excessive light and the sudden change of temperature. 

It is the parent’s job to make them feel safe and comfortable in their new environment. Here are some tips to help you to manage your baby with utmost care.

Understand their Crying

A crying baby is a challenge for most new parents. Babies mostly cry if they are hungry, tired, uncomfortable, needs to be burped, are overstimulated, or have a wet diaper on. So, cover the bases:

• Check if the baby is fully fed and ensure he/she has a clean diaper on. 
• Check the baby for fever and call a doctor if they are running a temperature.
• Check their crib, sheets, and bed and ensure that no bugs or insects are disturbing them. 

Sometimes, a baby could continue to cry despite everything seeming in order. So, pay keen attention to the cues they display; it will take a while to understand them completely. 

Get the Feeding Technique Right

Reports suggest that feeding while lying flat could be fatal for the baby because there is a risk of milk being absorbed into the lungs. 

• Ensure that the baby’s head is slightly elevated than the body, preferably at 45 degrees while feeding.
• Use a bib while feeding, and clean any milk spillage using a clean, soft, damp washcloth to avoid milk rashes. 
• Place a clean burp cloth over the shoulder while burping. Wear clothing with pockets to have clean washcloths handy. 

Tiny Twig has organic cotton burp cloths, washcloths and bibs made for babies. They are soft and do not contain any residual pesticides or harmful chemicals. 

Understand Baby Grooming

There is usually lots of advice on how to groom a baby from family and friends. While the suggestions are well-meaning, some of them may not be the right advice. 

• Avoid using traditional bath powders. They may enter the nose or the crevices in the ears, irritating the baby.
• Choose a soap and shampoo that is neither too acidic nor too alkaline. Any material that changes the pH level of the baby’s skin could cause rashes or eczema. Perform a patch test before using any new product.
• Don’t wipe the baby’s skin or scalp with regular towels. Use soft muslin cloth. Try Tiny Twig’s ultrasoft muslin towels. 
• Clip baby nails with baby nail clippers only. Do not attempt to remove them with bare hands or teeth – this could infect the delicate nail bed of the baby. 
• Diapers make babies prone to rashes. While at home, choose a cloth diaper or don’t use any diaper at all. 

Dress them with care

Choose garments that could be wrapped around or zipped up. 

There is a common misconception that babies’ bones are softer and don’t break. However, rough handling could cause green stick crack fractures in babies. So, avoid buying clothes that have to be forcefully pulled down from the top of the baby’s head. 

Prepare for Sleep Time

Most new parents struggle with getting their babies to sleep. Improve the chances of better sleep for newborns with these tips. 

• Give the baby a warm bath before sleep time.
• Dress them in comfortable clothes, preferably a onesie. Avoid separates like T-shirts and shorts. 
• Cover their feet and palms to keep them from getting cold. 

Tiny Twig's Sleepsuits follow a proprietary design of two-way zip runners that run from shoulder to ankle. The design ensures that babies are not hurt by the zip runner at their chin or neck while sleeping. These sleepsuits also have inbuilt mittens and socks, which keeps the baby’s palms and feet safe from bugs and excessive cold. 

Spend time to ensure the sleeping environment is in order.

• Check the crib thoroughly for bugs, and stray food crumbs. Make the bed afresh with an ironed fitted sheet.
• Use a mattress that is not too soft or hard and lets the baby’s skin breathe. A pure cotton mattress or layers of soft fabric is preferable. 
• Keep a warm light on to keep bugs away.

Tiny Twig has Fitted Cot Sheet Sets made from organic cotton. At Tiny Twig, the fitted sheet is matched with a top sheet with fun prints. The best part is that this set comes in a matching cloth bag that also converts to a side pillow. 

Remember that babies are gentle and resilient beings. They are still adjusting to the new world every day, and they need their parents’ help to understand these changes. Be gentle with them and pamper them with love. Parental care at this stage sets the foundation for happy and healthy babyhood and beyond.