Bringing Baby Home
Approximately nine months ago you found out that you were pregnant, and suspected that your life would never again be the same. The day to day routines that you and your husband knew and enjoyed would be dramatically changed. You anticipated seeing that precious little person currently growing within and looked forward to the adventures you would have together.
During your pregnancy you were both wondering what was happening in your child’s development on a daily basis, so you read everything you could find from books to the internet,as well as listening to news and television programming on the subject of pregnancy and birth; all you have thought about for nine months.
The nursery has been readied for weeks and is beautifully decorated with everything in its place, prepared to welcome your new little one. Suddenly the labor pains begin for real; hours later the baby is in your welcoming arms, you are shaky and tired your husband is relieved, proud and happy when the first family picture is taken. You may be sore and weary but you can hardly wait to go home, returning to your familiar yet different life with your new baby.
You decided to breast feed because of the wonderful benefits for baby and for you to say nothing of the convenience; so you will feed her the colostrum your body produces until your milk comes in within 3 or 4 days. While you are feeding her you look with wonder and awe at the created perfection of your baby. The flood of emotions of relief, pride, excitement, joy, love and victory that you felt after delivery may be giving way a bit to nervousness about handling and caring for that delicate looking little one.
You are very careful to supporting your baby’s head with one hand and her bottom with the other when you lift and hold her, or put her back in her bed. Babies are very resilient, but their necks and heads are floppy so they always need support. You need to be gentle when dressing your baby, especially pulling clothes over her head. She will probably cry several times that first day. When she does, pick her up and hold her, taking turns with Dad. Talk or sing softly to her when you hold her.
The First Days
The baby will sleep and wake for much of the first day. Swaddling your baby when you are putting him in his bed will make him feel snug and secure. When done correctly the swaddling blanket will be snug around his arms and chest to keep him from startling himself when his arms flail out with the startle reflex, and loose enough around the legs to allow room to move them easily which is helpful in eliminating gas.
You will probably only want to sponge bathe your little one rather than tub bathe for the first two or three days, making sure to clean his face, hands, neck, arms and chest with clean warm water and gently patting him dry with the towel. Put his shirt on to prevent him from getting too cool while you are cleaning the bottom half of his body. Clean his legs and feet first, then the diaper area, pat dry, diaper and finish dressing your baby, wrapping him in a flannel receiving blanket or a heavier blanket when the cold weather sets in.
To clean the baby’s eyes you might prefer to use cotton balls moistened with cooled, boiled water; using a different cotton ball for each eye and going from the inside corner out.
No doubt you have a good baby book with photographs or pictures in which most of your questions will be answered if you are first time parents. Friends who have had their own babies and grandparents can also be good resources for you in many situations.
Parents have a lot of new demands and responsibilities with a new baby, but take care of one another, talk and share your feelings and give each other your attention often during those early days of adjustment. Deal with each other with grace and understanding because this new parenting role demands self-sacrifice, patience, flexibility, and unselfishness and is new to both of you. Continue to love and care for each other in supportive ways.
In order for you and your spouse to anticipate having some quality time, try to develop a schedule for the baby as soon as possible. The baby should have his last feeding around 9:00 or 9:30 pm. You can cuddle, sing to or talk to him for a while. Give him his warm sponge bath, diaper him with an extra thick diaper, swaddle him and put him in his bed on his back. He may awaken and cry in a couple of hours, so check on him, and if he is clean and well, try to pat him and get him back to sleep without another feeding, but if necessary feed him again. It is OK for the baby to cry for a little while, it exercises his lungs, but use good judgment as to how long you will let it go on. Perhaps 5 to 10 minutes is maximum at this time. By the time he is 6-8 weeks old he may be able to sleep through the night after a good last feeding before you put him swaddled into his crib at around 10:00 at night.
Breast fed babies do need to eat more often as mother’s milk is so easily digested, so don’t be surprised if this happens with your little one. It may be that he or she will sleep 6 hours at night, but then will be famished during the day, feeding every two hours. You may feel like “The Dairy Queen” some days.
A good night’s sleep really makes all the difference in the world. You and your spouse will be awakening with energy and joy; ready to take on the day once your newborn begins to sleep through the night at around 6-8 weeks. In the meantime savor every moment with him during the “red-eye” feeding times because your new little one will be up and running before you know it.
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