I gave birth to my first child, a beautiful healthy baby girl, in October 2019. Before then I had practically no knowledge of baby care. I had never changed a diaper and had only held a baby a few times in my life. After she was born I quickly began learning how to care for a baby and acknowledging what works for us.
While the internet and Youtube provided helpful insight, it would have been great if someone had just handed me a list of core tips about caring for a baby. I decided to create my own list of tips based on my experience of caring for my baby. I will note that this list is exclusive to my experience of being a mother of one child, and that every child is different, so these tips are not “one size fits all.” Consider this information as insight, not medical advice. If you are really questioning caring for your baby, consult with your doctor.
- Fortunate women have breastfeeding pain for only a few days. In fact, the nurses at the hospital told me that the pain from breastfeeding would subside within a few days, and I believed them. But after experiencing pain for two weeks I went online to do research and learned many women experience pain for eight weeks (approximately two months) and even longer! I was one of those women who felt pain for about two months because I had such a difficult time getting my baby to latch correctly. The most important thing is to make sure the baby is fed, even if that entails changing to pumping milk or feeding the baby formula. If baby is maintaining normal weight, try to not give up on breastfeeding too soon! There is a good chance you will adapt, as I did!
- Be prepared in advance to treat breastfeeding pain because the pain can set in fast! Have on hand in advance: nipple cream, nipple shield, cold packs, nursing bra, nursing pads and an electric breast pump. This is especially important for mothers who live in rural locations and have to go out of their way to drive to large stores (note, it is not fun at all to travel long distance with a newborn while experiencing breast pain).
- Keep a constant milk flow, even if the pump is needed sometimes, because slowed flow can lead to a clogged milk duct. Clogged milk ducts can possibly lead to mastitis, which can become a major problem if not treated immediately.
- Look at your breasts in the mirror to check for red blotches on the skin, this may be a sign of a clogged milk duct. Be sure to look on the bottom of your breasts as well (an area that is more difficult to see).
- Join breastfeeding Facebook groups for insight and encouragement, but don’t get caught up on the moms who are producing more milk than you.
- Research breastfeeding consultants in your area ahead of time. In my area there were no breastfeeding consultants, so I worked with hospital nurses who had tips on breastfeeding. While the nurses did provide overall decent input, they often gave different (sometimes conflicting) information. A breastfeeding consultant is more knowledgeable of breastfeeding.
- Ongoing burning sensation in the nipple and pain resonating in the breast can be a symptom of thrush, a fungal infection, which I had to be treated for around two months. My baby also had white lines on the bottom of her inside lip, another symptom of thrush. Thrush is fairly easy to treat, though it may re-occur, so I was recommended to pat the breasts with alkaline water after feeding, and to also put a little bit of alkaline water in my baby’s mouth every day. Alkaline water is supposed to kill fungus growth.
- Try to not use a pacifier right after the baby is born to avoid nipple confusion.
- Keep your boobs warm if you are in a cold climate. You can do this by putting extra wool padding over the breasts. Cold weather can contribute to the development of clogged milk ducts.
- Have a supply of super large pads at home after the hospital because vaginal bleeding will likely continue for a few weeks.
- Research freezing milk ahead of time.
- A crying baby is most likely hungry. Newborn babies are hungry practically ALL THE TIME, so try to feed first before attempting anything else.
- Don’t freak out if the baby wants to eat every 20-30 minutes for a night or two. The baby is likely going through a growth spurt and is “cluster feeding.”
- Stock up on small plain white wash cloths. They’re cheap and great for cleaning up after messes!
- Accept that you will not make it to events sometimes, and don’t feel bad if you don’t make it.
- Begin to look at your daily schedule as fluid rather than set. For example, realize you will be getting sleep during night and day, based on the baby’s sleeping schedule, so don’t get upset if you didn’t sleep much during the night.
- Start experimenting with baby’s sleep schedule a few weeks after birth. Take note of when the baby tends to wake up, and determine a time you would like to aim for in the evening for the baby to go to sleep. Research techniques to prepare the baby for sleep.
- A baby nest is a nice item to lay the baby in and move around the house to wherever you are working.
- Button up onesies are much easier to work with than pull over onesies. Pants with foot extensions are easier to work with than socks that come off! I did not like t-shirts because the shirt would get pulled up whenever I picked up baby, onesies were much better.
- Quickly learn what kind of baby clothes you like best and tell friends and family clothes you prefer ASAP, otherwise they will likely buy you a lot of clothes you will end up not using. If anything, encourage people to keep the receipt in case you need to make a return – often times people purchase the wrong sized clothes.
- Browse thrift stores for baby clothes and items, this can save you a lot of money. I purchased an electric swinging chair from a thrift store for one-third of the price if it was brand new.
- Be sure to burp baby after each breast to prevent get rid of gas before it reaches the gut. If the baby pulls away while feeding and is in an awkward position, stop feeding and burp the baby. Probiotic medicine is available for gassy babies. (Gas was a frequent issue with my baby).
- Turn baby’s head from one side to the other every half hour when sleeping to prevent the baby from developing a flat head by sleeping on one side. If the head becomes too flat on one side the brain’s development may be impacted and baby may need a helmet to protect growth.
- Do not leave baby sleeping in the car seat or swinging chair because the baby can possibly suffocate.
Best advice I’ve heard from other moms..
- Understand that the baby’s brain is developing very fast, so if the baby starts doing something undesirable remember that it may pass within a few days to a week.
- You do not need to drop everything you are doing when the baby starts to cry. It’s okay to take a few minutes to finish whatever you are doing and then tend to baby.
- One of the most important bonding times with a baby is during basic situations, such as changing a diaper and feeding.
- Acknowledge that the “baby” stage of a child’s life is very short. While it can be frustrating exhausting, try to focus on the positives, because the baby will be grown before you know it!
Photo by Wayne Evans from Pexels
Lauren Ell is an American blogger born and raised in Southern California and is currently based in Sweden. She discusses Epilepsy, Politics and Fun. Professionally Ell is an Online Marketing Consultant and Virtual Assistant. She is also founder and president of Republican Atheists and Nordic Republicans. Connect with Lauren on Facebook and Twitter.