The internet is a wealth of information for young and nursing mothers how to take care of a newborn baby. There are a horde of online blogs and parenting articles written by experts for pregnant moms to be but much if this might also seem confusing. This creates problems for women understanding and following the wrong recommendations. This can create a problem and impact the health of both mother and baby. This is why given below are some of the common mistakes made by mothers which is quite valuable to be aware of especially when you are nursing your newborn baby.
Breast milk obviously is the best food for a newborn baby but then some moms may not have enough if it and you won’t know if your baby is getting the right amount of nourishment. In a maternity ward, nurses will generally have bottles of formula ready although some moms refuse it altogether. When a baby is always hungry, it can impact their health and result in dehydration and lead to serious problems.
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If hunger is bad, then overfeeding is bad too. A baby usually starts crying if it feels discomfort or something is hurting it or maybe because they want the mother’s attention. Mothers may then try to pacify the baby by feeding them that may further lead to more abdominal discomfort, gas and regurgitating.
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Never try to overfeed or force feed a baby if they don’t want to eat. If you feel your baby isn’t feeding enough, then consults a pediatrician who will explore other factors involved or if it isn’t anything to worry about.
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There are some babies who don’t feed from the breast very well. When this happens, do not take the advice of getting the milk pumped with a breast pump and then feeding it to the baby from a bottle. It is not dangerous to do so but sucking milk from a bottle is generally easier than feeding from the breast and a baby may get used to this over time and the problem will only worsen.
This may also lead to the baby stopping breastfeeding entirely or may soon start crying for the bottle instead. This can lead to overbite and speaking problems later when the child begins to develop. There will also be a decrease in breast milk production.
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For ages, people thought that it is advisable to wrap babies in as much clothes as possible to keep them warm. This belief is because of the general perception that the baby is used to a warm temperature similar to the mother’s womb. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Pediatricians say that overheating is very dangerous for a baby and can increase the risk of infant death.
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The experts say that for a baby, you should maintain a comfortable temperature between 64 and 68 degrees F. Never keep a baby covered with several blankets or linen and don’t even put them next to heaters. When they sleep, remove their caps or hats. To find out if your baby is overheating, place your palm on their bellies, it should be warm but never hot. Other signs of overheating are red cheeks and excessive sweating.
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Till a decade ago, the general practice was to boil the baby’s utensils and feeding bottle. Sheets, lined and napkins were washed with added disinfectant and ironed on both sides. The baby’s room would be cleaned extensively several times in the day. Some families even get rid of their pets because of the presumed impact on the baby’s health. But here is what pediatricians believe.
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Pediatricians feel that when you overclean everything surrounding the baby, you are decreasing the baby’s chances of developing a healthy immune system which needs to be exposed a bit to common bacteria found around us. The immune system instead becomes hypersensitive making the child grow with an increased susceptibility to catch common diseases more often.
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Studies at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center found that children who are exposed to household germs and pets in the first year of their lives posses a low risk of allergic reactions and conditions like asthma when they grow older. But, once the child crosses a year, the same exposure to pets isn’t as beneficial anymore.
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Not always can we be hundred percent that our children are safe however; we can do our best in seeing that they are secure by following all rules of safety. One of the main rules is to hold the baby in your arms when you are using a stroller and entering an elevator because machines are unreliable and elevator doors can close quickly. The stroller can slide out too before doors can close or get stuck.
When crossing the road, many parents use the stroller the wrong way and will push the stroller in front of them. The stroller is a lower level than cars and will not be seen by drivers. According to driving rules, strollers should be pushed ion the side.
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There are children who cry louder than others and this can irritate parents who think that rocking them harder may make them shut up. It isn’t because they don’t like the baby; it is their own nervousness and irritation that makes their own movements harder and rushed.
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Children have weak neck muscles and soft brains in the first year of growth and if you rock the child too hard, it can get injured. These are also known as a shaken baby syndrome that can disable a child or put it at risk of fatality. Always rock a baby gently as babies like a uniform rocking motion.
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