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.
Ever feel like you're out of the loop when it... Read More
Most teens go into the work world ill-prepared to manage... Read More
Researching career education uncovered the following shocking statistic: The average... Read More
Handing Down Malignancy.Children may begin bright and eager to face... Read More
The Theme from MASHI flipped the button on the remote... Read More
"Becoming a parent can make you a better worker," New... Read More
Home schooling benefits children. As a parent, I feel it... Read More
Many children enjoy TV, and they can learn from it.... Read More
Emotional OverloadMany single parents say they deal with a variety... Read More
Paula's last child had just gone off to college and... Read More
Individualism is a common thing in today's modern society. Many... Read More
In memory of 14 year old Matthew Smith; 11 year... Read More
Encouragement comes when you focus on your child's assets and... Read More
Who lives in your house? Are they driving you "crazy?"... Read More
One of parents' most important duties is to protect their... Read More
"Just turn the lights off and go to sleep"Do you... Read More
ADHD comes in differenty forms, or types. What... Read More
Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell... Read More
Today the little red school house is not what it... Read More
There are a LOT of alternative treatments for sale out... Read More
Economist John Kenneth Galbraith has said that more people die... Read More
In this form of treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder... Read More
Summer Survival The... Read More
Children are notoriously bad at drinking enough liquids. They are... Read More
A sure way to double the joys of parenthood is... Read More
Remember when cash was a tangible commodity in all of... Read More
Children are notoriously bad at drinking enough liquids. They are... Read More
Late vs. Too LateEvery now and then, I'll hear a... Read More
Are you a professional?Notice how the questions differs from, "Do... Read More
Ah, there is nothing like being an expectant mom. Along... Read More
Having a baby is one of the most exciting times... Read More
Ever blown your top to your children, only to regret... Read More
There are two methods for teaching children to read; whole... Read More
For any parent, learning that a convicted sex offender lives... Read More
Home schooling. What is it? What does it mean to... Read More
As a parent your biggest responsibility is to prepare your... Read More
Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives... Read More
Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green... Read More
I am writing this from the beautiful mountains of Western... Read More
In today's busy world, many parents have lost the art... Read More
Nothing touches the heartstrings of a parent more than the... Read More
"The best blush to use is laughter: It put roses... Read More
Back in college, I wrote for a five-day-a-week, award-winning campus... Read More
What parent hasn't gone into a son's or daughter's room... Read More
There's a phrase that's become popular over the past few... Read More
In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we... Read More
Last week in my newsletter, I mentioned that... Read More
One of the most powerful tools that parents have for... Read More
It happens every year. Just when you are settled in... Read More
Who Can Register A Birth? The child's mother... Read More
Parenting Parenting |
|
| العاب | منتديات هيدى | الزاوية الحمراء | |
|
Pharaohs products egypt products Egypt shopping Shopping in Egypt sho Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center Egypt Pharaohs |