The Basics on Infant Care

Now that your wee one is here with you Earthside, you’re ready to start your life as a new parent. Or are you? Fortunately, you can consult with one of our pediatricians here at Nova Pediatrics, in our Woodbridge or Springfield VA location for all your infant care questions. Meanwhile, here are some basic guidelines that could give even first-time, nervous parents some confidence when caring for their newborn.

Soothe and Bond with Your Precious One

Studies show that physical closeness helps encourage an emotional connection between parents and their children. You can simply cradle your baby and then stroke her or him in varying patterns. Make sure to give your baby some skin-to-skin contact when cradling or feeding. If your baby is very sensitive to sound, light, or touch, keep the light and noise levels low.

Feed and Burp Your Newborn

In general, newborns must feed at least every two to three hours. But you can likewise feed your baby on demand, which means whenever he or she appears hungry. Hunger signs might include crying, making sucking sounds, or putting fingers in the mouth.

For breastfeeding moms, let her or him nurse for 10 or so minutes at each breast. In most cases, formula-fed babies are fed about two to three ounces of milk at each feeding. If you’re having any issues with feeding your baby, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your Springfield Infant Care professional here in our Springfield, or Woodbridge VA office.

Bathe Your Wee Baby

Generally speaking, bathing your baby up to a maximum of three times weekly is enough to avoid drying out his or her sensitive skin. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends giving your newborn sponge baths until his circumcision site has healed, which can be about a week or two, and/or the umbilical cord has detached and the navel has healed, which can be around one to four weeks.

Sleeping Basics

Expect your newborn to sleep roughly around 16 hours daily or more. But don’t expect your baby to sleep for 16 hours straight since their digestive systems are still very tiny. This means that they’ll require nourishment every two to four hours, and must be woken up if they haven’t fed for four hours.

Yes, you may be anxious now, but give yourself time to adjust to caring for your newborn and in a matter of weeks, you’ll feel like a parenting pro.

For Advice or Concerns About Springfield Infant Care, Give Us a Call

Schedule your appointment here at Nova Pediatrics by calling our Springfield VA office at (703) 451-3333 or our Woodbridge VA office at (703) 491-2141.