How to Care for a Newborn Baby: Advice and Tips for New Parents

For new parents, the first few weeks of parenting a newborn can be a difficult time. These are the essential tips and advice you need to get through your first few weeks with a newborn baby. It’s your six-week newborn baby care guide.

What are the best newborn baby care tips that parents need to be aware of?

The umbilical chord should fall off naturally in the first week following birth. The HSE suggests that you follow the following instructions when caring for your cord.

Before touching the cord, wash your fingers.
Use cotton wool to clean around the cord’s base and then cool off with boiled water.
After you have cleaned the belly button, be sure to dry it.
Be sure to not cover the cord with the nappy.

How to trim the nails of your baby

Baby’s nails can grow very quickly, so it’s important to keep them trimmed and filed.

This can be done when your newborn is asleep, or drowsy. Use baby nail scissors. To prevent ingrown nail, trim toenails across. Baby’s nails can be quite soft so you can gently nibble them off, if you don’t want to use scissors or clippers.

Cover your baby’s hands with cotton mittens between nail trims. This will stop your baby from scratching or irritating any dry skin conditions.

How to make sure your baby’s safe sleep Newborn Baby

It is best to place your baby on their back with their faces up.

Smoking is not permitted in your home, or allowed to be smoked in your car.

Your baby should sleep in a cot inside your room at night. Your baby should always be able to reach the foot of the cot. Make sure that their head isn’t covered when sleeping. Your baby should have a cover no higher than his shoulders. To prevent them from falling, they should be properly tucked in.

Place no other objects in the cot. You should keep it clear of any soft or fluffy objects.

You should ensure that the baby’s bedroom is not too warm. The ideal temperature for a baby’s room is between 16oC-20oC (66-28F). If it feels too hot for you, it’s too warm to your baby. A room thermometer will help you monitor the temperature of your room. Do not let your baby sleep on a sofa, armchair, or bed.

How to get your baby’s temperature taken

A thermometer can be used to measure the temperature of your baby if he or she feels warm. According to HSE, a digital thermometer is the best method to measure your child’s body temperature.

It is not recommended that your child be taken to their temperature immediately after they have had a bath.

Place the thermometer in your baby’s armpit. Keep the thermometer in place by gently holding their arm against their sides. The instructions included with the thermometer will tell you how long to keep it in place. However, many digital thermometers will beep when they’re ready. The thermometer’s display will show the temperature of your child.

An infection is likely if your infant’s temperature rises above 37.5C. A newborn baby’s normal temperature is 37@C. However, this can vary from child to child. Fevers above 38@C are a sign that your baby is not yet three months old. Be confident in your instincts, and seek medical attention if your baby becomes unwell.