Sleeping

As a new parent, you may be surprised to learn that your newborn, who seems to need you every minute of the day, actually sleeps about 16 hours or more! Newborns typically sleep for periods of 2–4 hours. Don’t expect yours to sleep through the night — the digestive system of babies is so small …

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Diapering

You’ll probably decide before you bring your baby home whether you’ll use cloth or disposable diapers. Whichever you use, your little one will dirty diapers about 10 times a day, or about 70 times a week. Before diapering your baby, make sure you have all supplies within reach so you won’t have to leave your …

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Bonding and soothing

Bonding, probably one of the most pleasurable parts of infant care, happens during the sensitive time in the first hours and days after birth when parents make a deep connection with their infant. Physical closeness can promote an emotional connection. For infants, the attachment contributes to their emotional growth, which also affects their development in …

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Bathing

You should give your baby a sponge bath until: the umbilical cord falls off and the navel heals completely (1–4 weeks) the circumcision heals (1–2 weeks) A bath two or three times a week in the first year is fine. More frequent bathing may be drying to the skin. Have these items ready before bathing …

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Macronutrients

• Fats Fatty acids are the major constituent of many lipids, and those which are essential must be provided through the infant diet for a healthy growth, neurodevelopment, immune system, and gastrointestinal function. During the first months of life, especially polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs) requirements are increased, because of rapid growth and neurological development. Fat …

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Colic

Colic is when a baby cries for more than three hours a day and three times a week without a clear cause. A baby may cry inconsolably or scream, extend or pull up his or her legs, and pass gas. The baby’s stomach may be enlarged. Crying can happen anytime, although it often gets worse …

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Reflux disease

Some babies have a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD happens when the muscle at the opening of the stomach opens at the wrong times. This allows milk and food to come back up into the esophagus, the tube in the throat. Some symptoms of GERD include: • Severe spitting up or spitting up …

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