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.
move in cleaning service Mundelein ..Child Car Seat Safety:We know you love your children, but... Read More
One of the most difficult parts of being a father... Read More
Having been a parent educator and a PBS consultant for... Read More
Uh oh.Your kids arrive home with their school reports and... Read More
Puberty can be a difficult time for children. Not quite... Read More
Are you looking for the Ultimate Airplane Themed Party Games... Read More
The human brain never actually stops developing. Beginning formation in... Read More
Oh Please, Don't Say Maybe!!!!Are you often a participant in... Read More
Incest is sexual activity, ranging from fondling to intercourse, between... Read More
The following spelling games can be used by parents to... Read More
Does the homework battle so typical with your hyperactive or... Read More
Many times, we are so conditioned in how we speak... Read More
When my daughter was born, I must admit there was... Read More
Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal... Read More
What one word best sums up summer fun? Water. I... Read More
I remember when my daughter was born, later my son.... Read More
My son recently had his third birthday party and it... Read More
Bullies are an ugly but very real part of childhood.... Read More
Everyone needs friends, and, as parents, you and I both... Read More
Would you hand a child calculus problems once she was... Read More
As a parent, you can learn a lot about your... Read More
Now I know that is not how the song goes,... Read More
So, the thing is? I am feeling a little guilty.I... Read More
If your parenting methods include abuse of any kind; physical,... Read More
There is a front line and a back end to... Read More
insured cleaning company Highland Park ..Parents, do you have children who do poorly in school,... Read More
"Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing... Read More
Back to school preparations are in full-swing. Soon, the first... Read More
The citizens of the early Roman Republic enjoyed an education... Read More
For troubled teens who are struggling with drug abuse, depression... Read More
Time devoted the better part of an issue to it.... Read More
So you're going to become a father. Now is not... Read More
As the kids go back to school, you can go... Read More
If you are like most people today, you do not... Read More
Most parents at some stage are driven to distraction by... Read More
Successful parents have learned to be both firm and kind... Read More
Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More
All children will likely have many different health problems during... Read More
A tall, weary-looking mother with glasses, walked into my counseling... Read More
All too often, children with learning disabilities are seen through... Read More
Do you know what these famous people have in common?Alexander... Read More
Most people with children want to be good parents. The... Read More
I have three children, ages 19 and 16 (yes, the... Read More
Now I know that is not how the song goes,... Read More
Economist John Kenneth Galbraith has said that more people die... Read More
It may seem obvious to many people why literacy is... Read More
One of the most difficult parts of being a father... Read More
Thank you for all that you do in the classroom!... Read More
Dear Sir, It was with some interest that I read... Read More
If you really want to get your children to eat... Read More
Parenting |