He is finally here! Tiny, adorable, and fragile… The responsibility of a newborn is quite a task. You can never be too careful while feeding, bathing, holding, or even putting him to sleep. We have put together a list of ten things you should never do to babies, which will come handy for all you new parents, to ensure your new arrival is safe and sound.
#1. Ask people to NOT kiss your newborn
“I don’t care if you call me overprotective. Just don’t kiss my baby” says Claire Henderson, whose newborn daughter Brooke was kissed on the mouth — and then spent five days in the hospital after developing a certain kind of virus on her face.
During the initial few weeks of your baby’s life, any kind of contact with bacteria and viruses can cause serious problems and unwanted illness. Wait till their immune system is a lot more bolstered up before you introduce them to the world at large.
#2. Don’t leave dirty diapers on too long
You may not love changing diapers, well who does, but this step is mandatory. The tiny little bodies excrete and urinate much more than a 6-month-old baby. And hence, a diaper change is required frequently.
Keep a check on your baby’s diaper at regular intervals to make sure there is no discomfort to them or a change needed.
This helps in preventing diaper rash, and also diseases.
#3. Don’t offer a pacifier
Don’t rely on the pacifier for keeping your crying infant calm. Your baby was born with a natural instinct to suck, but sucking on a pacifier too early can create confusions with their eating, and the breastfeeding schedules. Your baby is used to your body heat, your heartbeat and your scent– and breastfeeding is a comfortable experience for your newborn. Let that be.
Hold off the pacifier for the first few weeks, so that your baby won’t start to prefer pacifiers over the nipple.
Also, according to a study, children who use pacifiers are almost twice as likely to get multiple ear infections as children who don’t.
#4. Don’t change how things function around at your house
Those curtains need not always be shut or the TV muted when your little one is napping. No, we are not evil! The sooner your baby gets used to the noise of the day, the better he will sleep, no matter the time. Let him get used to the daily routine of things.
#5. Don’t over-layer the baby
You might always feel that your little bundle of joy is cold, but don’t go too extreme. It’s true that little babies don’t get much warmth from moving around, but excess clothing can cause fever and dehydration if you aren’t careful. Dress your newborn in layers so you can easily add or remove clothes to keep the temperature just right.
#6. Don’t skip an appointment
Rain or scorching heat, dawn or dusk, be sure to take your little one to the doctor if there are any problems. Always schedule your appointments regularly, and don’t skip visits. Getting a doctor’s professional advice is always better than just worrying and thinking that your infant’s problem is no big deal.
#7. Don’t shake the baby
Shaking the baby in different directions seems like the solution to stop him from crying. But it can cause harm. Sounds weird right? It is said that shaking the baby might make him to stop shedding tears even though he might be hurt or distressed. So to make sure that your baby is not crying due to sickness you could put him down in the cot or the bed.
#8. Beware of camera flashlight
People around might want to Snapchat, Facebook or Instagram your baby, but establish this as a ground rule – no phone or camera flashes near him!
#9. Do not talk or play while feeding. Only cuddle the baby
Feeding time is extremely important and the child’s attention must be on the food, not you!
#10. Say no to sprays, perfumes
Yes, they can give your child an allergy for life!
Though there is no one-size-fits-all rule when it comes to taking care of your little bundle of joy, these are some pointers you should follow. Remember that every baby is different.
Have you mummies faced any of these awkward situations? Share with us below!