You've gone through pregnancy, labor, and delivery , and now you're ready to go home and begin life with your baby. Once home, though, you might feel like you have no idea what you're doing! These tips can help even the most nervous first-time parents feel confident about caring for a newborn in no time. Consider getting help during this time, which can be very hectic and overwhelming. While in the hospital, talk to the experts around you.
Many hospitals have feeding specialists or lactation consultants who can help you get started nursing or bottle-feeding. Nurses also are a great resource to show you how to hold, burp, change, and care for your baby. For in-home help, you might want to hire a baby nurse, postpartum doula, or a responsible neighborhood teen to help you for a short time after the birth. Your doctor or the hospital can help you find information about in-home help, and might make a referral to home health agencies.
Relatives and friends often want to help too. Even if you disagree on certain things, don't dismiss their experience. But if you don't feel up to having guests or you have other concerns, don't feel guilty about placing restrictions on visitors. If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating.
Here are a few basics to remember:. 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 other areas, such as physical growth. Another way to think of bonding is "falling in love" with your baby. Children thrive from having a parent or other adult in their life who loves them unconditionally. Begin bonding by cradling your baby and gently stroking him or her in different patterns.
Both you and your partner can also take the opportunity to be "skin-to-skin," holding your newborn against your own skin while feeding or cradling. Babies, especially premature babies and those with medical problems, may respond to infant massage.
Certain types of massage may enhance bonding and help with infant growth and development. Many books and videos cover infant massage — ask your doctor for recommendations. Be careful, however — babies are not as strong as adults, so massage your baby gently. Babies usually love vocal sounds, such as talking, babbling, singing, and cooing. Your baby will probably also love listening to music. Baby rattles and musical mobiles are other good ways to stimulate your infant's hearing.
If your little one is being fussy, try singing, reciting poetry and nursery rhymes, or reading aloud as you sway or rock your baby gently in a chair. Some babies can be unusually sensitive to touch, light, or sound, and might startle and cry easily, sleep less than expected, or turn their faces away when someone speaks or sings to them.
If that's the case with your baby, keep noise and light levels low to moderate. Swaddling , which works well for some babies during their first few weeks, is another soothing technique first-time parents should learn.
Proper swaddling keeps a baby's arms close to the body while allowing for some movement of the legs. Not only does swaddling keep a baby warm, but it seems to give most newborns a sense of security and comfort. Swaddling also may help limit the startle reflex, which can wake a baby. 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 infant unattended on the changing table.
You'll need:. After each bowel movement or if the diaper is wet, lay your baby on his or her back and remove the dirty diaper. Use the water, cotton balls, and washcloth or the wipes to gently wipe your baby's genital area clean.
When removing a boy's diaper, do so carefully because exposure to the air may make him urinate. When wiping a girl, wipe her bottom from front to back to avoid a urinary tract infection UTI. To prevent or heal a rash, apply ointment. Always remember to wash your hands thoroughly after changing a diaper. Diaper rash is a common concern. Typically the rash is red and bumpy and will go away in a few days with warm baths, some diaper cream, and a little time out of the diaper.
Most rashes happen because the baby's skin is sensitive and becomes irritated by the wet or poopy diaper. If the diaper rash continues for more than 3 days or seems to be getting worse, call your doctor — it may be caused by a fungal infection that requires a prescription. A bath two or three times a week in the first year is fine. More frequent bathing may be drying to the skin. Sponge baths. For a sponge bath, select a safe, flat surface such as a changing table, floor, or counter in a warm room.
Fill a sink, if nearby, or bowl with warm not hot! Undress your baby and wrap him or her in a towel. The disease can affect his heart, kidney, and joints, among other things, or lead to neurological disorders if left untreated. If diagnosed quickly, a course of antibiotics is extremely helpful, though relapses can occur months or even years later. Parvo is a highly contagious virus that affects all dogs, but unvaccinated dogs and puppies less than four months of age are at the most risk to contract it.
The virus attacks the gastrointestinal system and creates a loss of appetite, vomiting, fever, and often severe, bloody diarrhea.
Extreme dehydration can come on rapidly and kill a dog within to hours, so prompt veterinary attention is crucial. There is no cure, so keeping the dog hydrated and controlling the secondary symptoms can keep him going until his immune system beats the illness. Rabies is a viral disease of mammals that invades the central nervous system, causing headache, anxiety, hallucinations, excessive drooling, fear of water, paralysis, and death.
It is most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. Treatment within hours of infection is essential, otherwise, death is highly likely.
Most states require regular rabies vaccinations. Check with your vet about rabies vaccination laws and requirements in your area. Of course, your veterinarian should weigh in and can always provide more information and guidance if needed on necessary and optional vaccinations. The first thing to know is that there is not just one puppy vaccination schedule for all dogs. Some dogs do not need every vaccine.
This decision is between you and your veterinarian. Always discuss puppy vaccinations at your regularly scheduled appointments.
That said, here is a generally accepted guideline of the puppy vaccination schedule for the first year. How much vaccinations for your puppy will cost depends on several factors. Where you live is one: Veterinarians in crowded and expensive urban areas will charge more than a rural vet in a small town. In other words, there are significant differences in price. There is a difference of opinion about having your adult dog vaccinated every year.
Some vets believe too many vaccinations in adult dogs pose health risks. But others disagree, saying that yearly vaccinations will prevent dangerous diseases such as distemper. Talk with your vet to determine what kind of vaccination protocol works for you and your dog. Many dog owners opt for titer tests before they administer annual vaccinations.
One key exception to this is rabies: a titer test is not an option when it comes to the rabies vaccine. This vaccination is required by law across the United States. Your vet can tell you the schedule for your particular state. For your effort and care your puppy will lavish you with lifelong love in return. This critical first year of her life is a fun and exciting time for both of you.
As she grows physically, the wonderful bond between you will grow, too. Get personalized training, nutritional, veterinary, and everyday advice sent straight to your inbox. Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. Dog Name Finder Browse our extensive library of dog names for inspiration. Download Schedules App. Administer recommended vaccines if immunization history is incomplete or unknown.
Do not restart or add doses to vaccine series for extended intervals between doses. When a vaccine is not administered at the recommended age, administer at a subsequent visit. For vaccination recommendations for persons ages 19 years or older, see the Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule , Doses administered within 14 days of starting therapy or during therapy should be repeated at least 3 months after therapy completion.
Anatomic or functional asplenia including sickle cell disease , HIV infection, persistent complement component deficiency, complement inhibitor e. First-year college students who live in residential housing if not previously vaccinated at age 16 years or older or military recruits:. Note: Menactra should be administered either before or at the same time as DTaP.
Anatomic or functional asplenia including sickle cell disease , persistent complement component deficiency, complement inhibitor e. Bexsero and Trumenba are not interchangeable; the same product should be used for all doses in a series. Chronic heart disease particularly cyanotic congenital heart disease and cardiac failure ; chronic lung disease including asthma treated with high-dose, oral corticosteroids ; diabetes mellitus:.
Sickle cell disease and other hemoglobinopathies; anatomic or functional asplenia; congenital or acquired immunodeficiency; HIV infection; chronic renal failure; nephrotic syndrome; malignant neoplasms, leukemias, lymphomas, Hodgkin disease, and other diseases associated with treatment with immunosuppressive drugs or radiation therapy; solid organ transplantation; multiple myeloma:.
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