Health Tips For Your Baby

The end of the cord will fall off in a couple of weeks after birth.
Until it falls off, keep it clean and dry.
Keep diaper below cord so that the cord stays dry.
Dab with alcohol on a cotton swab 1–2 times each day.
Call your baby’s health care giver if it looks red, irritated, bleeds or oozes, or has a bad odor.

A circumcision should heal in 7–10 days.
If the tip of the penis is irritated by the diaper, put a little bit of petroleum jelly on the irritated area each time you change the diaper.

Leave baby’s diaper area uncovered for a few hours each day. (Place several folded cloth diapers under baby.)
Use zinc oxide or diaper rash cream on irritated areas after washing.

If you are breastfeeding, continue to do so.
Call baby’s health care giver if your baby won’t take liquids, can’t keep them down, has a lot of diarrhea, or has diarrhea for longer than 12 hours.
(Diarrhea can be a very serious problem for little babies, who can lose a lot of fluid quickly.)
There are special drinks called oral electrolyte solutions that infants with diarrhea should be given to keep them from becoming very sick.

Make sure that your baby is not crying for some other reason (wet diaper, hunger, tight clothing, loneliness).
Hold baby, stomach down, across your knees.
Rock your baby.
Push your baby in a carriage or stroller.

YOU SHOULD CALL YOUR BABY’S HEALTH CARE GIVER IMMEDIATELY IF YOUR BABY:

Has breathing problems (has to work hard to get air in and out).
Cries (more or differently from the usual), or moans as if in pain, or is very fussy.
Has a temperature higher than 100° F.
Vomits (more than a spit up) or has diarrhea (very watery, loose, foul-smelling stools) more than 2–3 times in a day.
Has even one large, very watery bowel movement and is less than 3 months old.
Passes blood or blood clots with urine or bowel movement.
Has a convulsion (shaking arms and legs).

Seems weak, has no energy to cry as loudly as usual.
Refuses to feed or nurses poorly (or doesn’t want more than 1/2 of the usual bottle).
Doesn’t wake up as alert as usual, or for older babies, is not playful, even for a short time.
Just doesn’t “seem right” and you are worried.
When you call the health care provider about your sick baby, write down the advice you get. Have available the telephone number of a pharmacy in case
your care giver wants to phone in a prescription.

All living creatures need sleep.
Sleeping gives people and all living creatures the time for the body to recuperate and regenerate.
Lion’s needs 16 to 18 hours of sleep, while primates, ten to twelve hours of sleep. Humans need on average six to eight hours sleep to rejuvenate.

The body uses sleep as a way to regenerate cells and refresh the brain and overall aids in the development of our body, mind, and health.
During our sleep, the human body can regenerate hair follicles, fingernails, toenails and even the outer covering of the skin.
This happens because of the automatic pilot that is built into our bodies.
People tend to think that the body only needs to recharge spent energy on the day’s work but in truth the body works the regeneration cycle much faster when the brain does not control much action.

In order to achieve a good night’s sleep for your baby, it is important that your baby have comfortable and inviting bedding.
The secret to a good bed is one that feels just right.
Beds that are to big may make your little one feel insecure.
Your baby’s bed should be cozy and offer security for them to get a good night sleep.
Selecting the proper bedding should also be a concern.

Bedding that is to stiff or even to fluffy decreases your baby’s comfort level and therefore reduces his/her sleep time.
We would want our babies to enjoy their beds and consider it a place of security.
Try to make your baby’s sleeping experience a pleasant one.

There are so many wonderful patterns and fabrics on the market today that choosing the right bedding should not be to difficult.
Remember that your baby needs enough rest to stimulate his/her growth and development and when this is achieved, your baby can reach his full potential.