Parenting Tips: Newborn Babies

Newborn babies can be quite a challenge to parents. They are unfamiliar with the world, sleep and eat erratically and often suffer from colic. Here are some tips to help you through the very first weeks of parenthood.

So you’ve had your baby and all of a sudden you’re a mother, now what? Newborn babies can be a challenge, because everything is so new to them and to their parents. Sleepless nights and constant crying certainly don’t help to relieve your anxiety either. But it is the beginning and there are lots of new things for you to learn about how you can effectively and lovingly care for your newborn baby.

Newborn crying

On average, newborn babies cry and whinge for about three hours a day. Of course, all babies are different and all variables are also possible. The important part is to learn to know what your baby needs. Crying is a way for babies to communicate and when their tears are met with love and a cuddle, it helps the baby bond with the parents. With time, you will learn your baby’s cues and be able to figure out what’s causing the crying more easily.

Newborn feeding schedule

The important thing to remember here is that baby sets the feeding times at the beginning. Newborn babies often don’t realise the difference between night and day during the first eight weeks, hence why they may be wide-awake and feeding frequently when you would much prefer to be dreaming. There are typically three phases to watch out for. The ‘wakeful phase’, the ‘regular phase’ and the ‘sleeping phase’.

The regular phase is when the baby has 2-3 feeds over a 3-4 hour interval. The wakeful phase is when the baby is feeding often at 1-2 hour intervals over a period of 2-6 hours. The sleeping phase comes after the wakeful phase and is usually accompanied by 4-6 hours of deep sleep. If this stage occurs during the night – you are in luck! After the wakeful phase, it all starts over again with the regular phase.

Breastfeeding or bottle?

Many new mothers prefer to breastfeed while other mother opt for bottle feeding. Alternatively, parents can use both. If you are breastfeeding, make sure you read up on it before you start. A lot of changes are taking place in your body and it helps to know what is going on. The easiest way to prevent pain and discomfort is to make sure your baby is sucking your breast correctly, so make sure you do your homework to avoid sores and pains!

Newborn baby clothes

You probably already have a draw full of cute little jumpsuits and clothes for your baby but keep in mind how fast they are going to grow. In the first six weeks they won’t be doing much more than sleeping, feeding and pooping, so jump suits are ideal and make it easy to change the nappy. Make sure you have plenty of bibs to help keep baby clean and dry. Last but not least, in the first few months comfort should definitely come before fashion, so make sure you dress baby in comfortable, soft clothes.