baby care tips

Baby Care Tips

These tips can help even the most nervous first-time parents feel confident.
51. Holding a baby is good
For decades, it seems, moms have been made to feel guilty about holding their babies too much. Ignore the critics and repeat after us:You cannot spoil a baby by holding her. Really. It s true. Babies who are held often and have their needs met right away are more likely to have higher self images and learn they are respected and worthy, says Linda C. Donovan, RN, MHA, IBCLC. So, even if you keep hearing people tell you not to do it, rest assured that holding your baby is a good and natural thing.
52. Skip the baby wipes
Baby wipes are expensive and, for some sensitive bums, they can hurt. The good news? You really don t need to buy em. I know people will not believe this, but a 100 percent breastfed baby doesn t need baby wipes. Not at all. Breastfed baby feces are low in acid and bacteria, watery and wipe off easily; breastfed baby urine is dilute and noncorrosive.Wipe that baby butt with the damp cloth diaper you re taking off, re wrap in a new clean cloth diaper, and you re both good to go. I did this for both of my babies, and neither of them ever had a rash once.
53. Sterilizing is easier than you think
Sterilizing all the baby doodads (you know: Bottles, pacis and more) can be time consuming if you do it the old fashioned way in a pot with water. But guess what? It can be so much easier and you don t need a pricey home sterilizer. Instead, toss everything in your dishwasher (sans soap) and run it on a short, hot cycle.
54. Be ready for the spray
News flash: When cool air hits a baby s privates, he ll tend to pee. So open that diaper carefully (read: Slowly!) so that you can catch the stream before it s all over you and the nursery. You can also cover Baby s privates with a washcloth, which will absorb the spray before it gets you.
55. Music soothes
They say that music can tame the savage beast. It also can calm a child down or, in the car, even put him to sleep. Slide in a CD and see how something that s soft and soothing can make everything a little more relaxed.
56. Skip the shoes
Look: Until your child can walk, she really doesn t need shoes. Socks? Absolutely! But not shoes. If you still put them on, be honest: It s aboutyou, not her. Save the money until she really needs them.
57. No juice boxes No problem
It used to be that kids needed the necessary skill of juice box drinking for when they hit school days. But these days, parents tend toward reusable bottles for school drinks. So, just make sure your child is well versed on using reusables and he ll be just fine.
58. Lay down your baby on tummy
Babies spend most of their time on back in their stroller, crib, and under any activity arch. So, it is incredibly important to put your baby on tummy. Through their little chubby legs and arms are not built for push ups but there are some motor skills that are encouraged only while your baby is on his or her stomach. Keep it brief for 5 minutes once daily in the beginning. Later you can increase the time gradually to 10 min and so on. Also, do not leave your baby alone during the tummy time.