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University of Maine Cooperative
Extension
Bulletin #4217
The Newborn Baby
Congratulations, you have a new baby! You are a new parent!
What’s it like to be a new parent? Do you sometimes feel that you will never sleep through the night again? Are you a little nervous about taking care of this helpless but demanding baby? Do you feel tired a lot, but excited, too? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you are like most new parents!
Remember one thing: You are not alone.
There are many changes that take place and new things to learn when you become a parent. It doesn’t happen overnight.
There will be good times, and there will be bad times, and you and your baby will survive them all!
Sometimes fathers feel shy about touching their baby. Others are willing to try, even if they feel all thumbs.
Knowing how to take care of a baby takes time and practice. Give yourself a chance. Pretty soon you will feel like you’ve been a father all your life!
I need others to take care of me.
I can’t decide things for myself.
I need someone to love, feed, hold and play with me.
I like to feel warm, and I don’t like lots of noise.
I like to be held gently and very close.
I like to sleep a lot.
I am hungry every few hours.
I may be fussy and cry a lot.
My face may be wrinkled, puffy or red, and I may have a large head. I’m normal!
Most babies set up their own fairly regular feeding times. Some babies may like to eat every four hours, others are ready to eat every three hours, and some prefer eating more often than that. Newborn babies drink only breast milk and water, or formula and water.
Feeding your baby when she gets fussy or cries will not spoil her. It will help you to be more sensitive to her needs.
Some babies like to sleep for longer periods during the day than at night. If your baby is a lengthy daytime sleeper and stays awake most of the night, you can reverse this pattern. Try waking him up for feeding instead of letting him sleep for long periods during the day.
You can get a pretty good idea of your baby’s feeding pattern by keeping track of the times when he seems to be hungry. Remember, your baby may not be hungry every time he is fussy. He may need burping, a diaper changed, a drink of water or he may just want to be held.
The first thing to remember is to relax! Being tense and uptight can affect the natural flow of milk. You can sit in a chair or lie down, whichever is more comfortable for you. Your baby’s nursing will help your milk to flow. Don’t rush. Take your time. This is a learning time for both of you.
During the first few days, your nipples may be slightly tender from your baby’s sucking. But as you learn to relax and your milk flows freely, the soreness will disappear. If your breasts remain sore, it may be that they are very full of milk. Nursing your baby long enough and often enough to empty both breasts will help. Or you may have too much milk, and your breasts may leak a little. If this happens, tuck a clean handkerchief or a breast pad in your bra. Or gently squeeze some milk from your breasts to relieve the pressure.
Remind yourself that the time you spend relaxing and enjoying your new baby is very important for both of you.
If you are interested in breast feeding, you can get more information from the La Leche League, a national group of mothers who can answer your questions. Look in the white pages of your phone book for a local chapter.
If you have decided to bottle feed your baby, you will use a formula. Formulas are usually made from cow’s milk, or other special products to meet the needs of a growing baby. There are three different forms of formula:
Powdered Formula: the cheapest, and fairly easy to prepare.
Concentrated Formula: more expensive than powdered formula. You have to add the right amount of water.
Ready-to-Feed Formula: the most expensive, the easiest to use.
Whichever formula you use, follow instructions carefully. Make sure that bottles and nipples are washed and clean.
When you bottle feed your baby, keep the nipple full of formula so he doesn’t swallow air. Hold your baby close with his head up. Don’t leave your baby alone with the bottle propped up, and don’t put him to bed with a bottle.
Whether you breast or bottle feed your baby, check with your doctor or healthcare provider about offering water to babies. Don’t add sugar to the water, unless prescribed by your doctor, and don’t give flavored drinks, soda pop or even fruit juice to a newborn.
Babies learn through playing games. Games are more than just fun. They teach babies to:
Use their bodies
Learn language
Develop their thinking
Feel good about themselves
Feel good about the person taking care of them
You can play with your baby by quietly talking to her, singing to her, reading to her or smiling at her. Even though she is a newborn baby, she will respond by listening to you, and will love the attention. As she grows older, she will reward you with a smile, a coo or a gurgle, and will try to reach for you.
If you saved the front page of the newspaper on the day your baby was born, and any public announcements of his birth, you can use them to start a memory book. You can either use a scrapbook or a school-sized notebook, or make up your own book. You can make it as fancy or as simple as you like.
Put in the front page of the newspaper and the birth announcement. Later, he can look at it and see all the things that were happening on that important day.
Put down all the great “firsts” in your baby’s life: the first time she smiles, walks, sits up, crawls, etc.
Write down dates and symptoms of illnesses, date of shots or immunizations, monthly weight and height, how many teeth and when he gets them, and your baby’s blood type. If you have photographs of your baby, you can put them in, too. As he grows older, include drawings that he makes. You can note the things he learns, what he likes and doesn’t like, and clever comments he makes in his early years.
The memory book is one way for your child to learn about her roots and herself. It will not only give her much enjoyment, but it will also serve as a good record of the early years.
Going back to work or school? Need child care for your baby? Here are some ideas and choices.
Find out what is offered in your county. Decide what you can afford and what you feel is best for your baby and for yourself.
Avoid, if possible, child care arrangements where you have to travel a long way, or to rush from work or school to pick up your child.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions to put your mind at ease. Ask questions like “What would I do in an emergency? What will I do if my baby cries a lot? What do I do if my baby is sick, and do I have to make other arrangements on those days?”
Make sure that you feel comfortable with the child care center or the sitter you choose.
Licensed family day care homes provide full- or part-day care services for children in private homes. They are licensed through the Maine State Department of Human Services. You can usually get information about these homes from your Human Services office.
Privately funded child care programs offer part-time care for infants, as well as for older children. You can find them in the Yellow Pages of the phone book, listed under Child Care Centers.
Does my baby need any special shots or immunizations?
Yes, your baby will need to be immunized against certain diseases. Check with your doctor, clinic or the health department for information.
Immunization Schedule
The web site for the most recent immunization schedule can be accessed at www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/child-schedule.htm#Printable.
For more information on family issues, contact your county Extension office or the Family Living Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 5717 Corbett Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5717, (207) 581-3448/3104 or 1-800-287-0274 (in Maine).
Published and distributed in furtherance of Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, the Land Grant University of the state of Maine and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Cooperative Extension and other agencies of the U.S.D.A. provide equal opportunities in programs and employment.
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