Congratulations on your new baby! You have just brought your baby home and are pretty excited about everything. Perhaps you don't even mind the fact that getting a good night's sleep is getting tougher by the day.
Getting into a routine
This is not easy, but rest assured, it will happen. By the end of the first month, new parents discover that their baby lets them slip into a comfortable (but exhausting) routine. If this is your first baby, you probably feel totally amateurish. Relax, let your baby's cues guide you and very soon you will be a seasoned pro!
Rock-a-bye baby
Your baby will probably sleep 12-18 hours a day between regular feedings. If you are lucky, your baby will sleep for longer stretches at night. Do not let your one-month old baby sleep through the night. At this age, infants need to feed at least every 2-3 hours for healthy development. Regular feeds are also important in stimulating your milk supply, which will get established during the first month.
Baby is growing
By the end of one month, your baby should be able to focus on faces, lift his head briefly when on stomach, and probably startle in response to a loud noise. All babies reach developmental milestones at a genetically set time, which differs with every baby. Do not expect your baby to go by the book. Your baby's weight might decrease in the first few days as he loses fluids postdelivery. Most newborns stop losing weight by the fifth day and surpass their birthweights in about fifteen days.
Cause for concern?
More than fifty percent of babies develop newborn jaundice because their immature livers cannot handle the extra bilirubin (the yellow pigment) they produce. Mild to moderate physiological jaundice requires no treatment. Others might require medical attention in the form of bililight therapy.
Babies born by normal deliveries usually have misshapen heads. Your baby's head will gradually attain a regular shape; you can prevent flattening by giving her a little 'tummy time' everyday.
Colic and continuous crying are things that most parents dread. Hours of dealing with a crying baby coupled with lack of sleep and exhaustion can drive anyone crazy. It is vital to seek help and give both your baby and yourself a break during spells of colic. Time tested methods such as rocking, "the colic carry", swaddling and soothing music can work wonders on a baby who seems to be screaming his lungs out.
Ouch! It hurts
Your baby will receive a Hepatitis B shot in the first month of life. This shot is not known to cause fever. Your baby will probably cry for a few minutes and that will be all.
Allergic to milk?
Milk allergy is the most common form of food allergy in infants. Frequent throwing up, loose watery stools and wheezing might be signs of a milk allergy. If your baby is intolerant to milk, try another formula before switching to soy substitutes.
Explosive bowel movements and frequent passing of gas are common in infants and will disappear once the kinks in his bowel get straightened out.
We are different
All new parents have numerous questions lurking in their minds, especially first time parents. No book or article can explain everything about your baby, who like all babies is different from the rest. Write down the specific questions you have about your baby to ask your healthcare provider.
Enjoy the time you spend with your baby and make the best out of your first month together. The first month is the perfect time to forge a bond with baby, a bond for life.
* About the author *
This article has been provided by ParentingSurvivalGuide.com.
Please visit our web site at http://www.parentingsurvivalguide.com to discover more articles.
Copyright 2005 ParentingSurvivalGuide.com, all rights reserved.
This article may be freely republished for noncommercial use as long as the article, including the author information and this reprint policy statement, is republished in its entirety, unedited, and with all links working.
Oswego taxi to Midway ..My husband and I have a 12-year-old daughter who wanted... Read More
Last week in my newsletter, I mentioned that... Read More
Every year over one million parents have to talk to... Read More
Lets face it becoming a mum is a bit of... Read More
Here's the scene of communication with your child: your three-year-old... Read More
One of the most powerful tools that parents have for... Read More
Wooden toys are one of the best alternatives for the... Read More
What is the mystery of motherhood? I know that when... Read More
You want your daughter to wear a dress to the... Read More
I used to have a really challenging job. It was... Read More
It's the third time this week that Sam has complained... Read More
Ritalin has been shown through the years to be very... Read More
In today's mental health system there is a pattern of... Read More
'And all because of a damned cat! It's only a... Read More
From the time the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock in... Read More
In the first premise, some films and video tapes which... Read More
As a parent is seems that the majority of your... Read More
There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance... Read More
Learning responsibility is an ever widening and lifelong process.As thinking,... Read More
OK, moms and dads out there, we hear you when... Read More
You are in the final round of your favorite game... Read More
If your child or teen has been diagnosed with Attention... Read More
Software for parental control is a useful tool, if applied... Read More
Home schooling. What is it? What does it mean to... Read More
When it comes to the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity... Read More
shuttle from Midway Morris ..How well do you really know your child?There is so... Read More
Identity and Your Fraternal TwinFor the most part, throughout this... Read More
When my daughter was born, I must admit there was... Read More
My son is 6 yrs old. He came home the... Read More
the woes of being a parent of an ADHD child.....Like... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
Even as a busy parent, I'm sure you've seen a... Read More
In the first premise, some films and video tapes which... Read More
Individualism is a common thing in today's modern society. Many... Read More
Article based on a friend's experienceI just wanted to share... Read More
When a parent is deployed with the military it can... Read More
The distressed adolescent often has feelings of abandonment, emotional detachment,... Read More
Reading to your child at a young age is one... Read More
When my son was 18 (and had finished school), he... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
What's in a name? Er?well, everything, really! Of course your... Read More
As a parent you will be asked to assist with... Read More
1. Make stronger connections among individuals and, therefore, creates a... Read More
Keith is now in the fourth grade and he dislikes... Read More
There are two methods for teaching children to read; whole... Read More
Volunteering together is a fantastic way to spend time as... Read More
1. STOP focusing on what you are going to make... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
So you want to be a mum? Every time you... Read More
Graphology for Child development.:- Graphology is the science of understanding... Read More
Parenting |