New Parent Information
By: Shadiana Haney
What should my baby look like as a newborn?
Reddish skin
White film: Vernex caseosa
Small bumps on the face
Bonding with my infant
Guidelines for safe toys:
durable
non toxic paints
No cords or strings
Bright primary colors (Red,blue, yellow)
Cause effect toys
Toys that make noise
Large pieces or 1large object
Things you DONT want in a toy:
Self painted toys
Homemade toys
Little pieces
Cords longer than 12 inches
Sharp edges
Dull and boring colors
Broken toys
Metal
Loose parts
Good examples of a SAFE toy:
Rattles
Squeezy toys
Picture books
Stuffed animals
Toy unbreakable mirrors
Belly lay toys
Building blocks
Large containers
Pros and Cons of bottle feeding and Breast feeding:
Pros- quick, doesn't hurt, controls amount, many different kinds for babies that are allergic to regular breast milk
Cons- expensive, always having to make a new bottle, always sterelizing bottles, not much immunities , no skin to skin contact
Breast feeding:
Pros- Helps mom with loosing weight, reduces breast cancer, immunities, always available, inexpensive, skin to skin contact
Cons- dad can't participate, sometimes hurts moms breasts, awkward in public places, can cause mom to "leak" in breast area
What and when do I feed my baby:
Baby should be fed with bottle formula or breast feeding
2-4 weeks:
Orange juice or vitamin c supplement
4 weeks:
fluoridated water
3 months:
Cereals which provide iron, b vitamins
3-4 months:
Mashed hard cooked eggs
4 months:
Puréed fruits and vegetables
6 months:
Puréed meats
7months :
Breads and pastas that are small enough to swallow with out choking
8-9months:
Strained chopped adult foods
Characteristics of a healthy child:
Smiling
Laughing
Eating
Sleeping
Appropriate skin color
Smell
Not too fussy
Not to much crying
Wants attention
Is able to pay attention to something
SIDS prevention and crib safety
SIDS is sudden infant death syndrome that is caused by many different factors. You should always keep your baby in sight and be aware of what they are doing. When you lay them to sleep ALWAYS lay them on their back in their crib with nothing in the crib and nothing around the crib that the baby could grab. Also if you are sleeping in a different room from your baby you should have a baby monitor so you can hear and see your baby.
Cribs:
When choosing a crib you should always get a BRAND NEW crib that is painted with non toxic paint and has a tight fitted mattress. You should not be able to place your hand between the crib and mattress. Also always check for loose screw and things pointing out. The slabs on your crib should be no larger than 2-3 inches and there should be no slid down railing.