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Below is a list of tips that have appeared on Your Baby Today home page since the program began. Tips are updated on this page on a weekly basis.
- Be sure to burp your newborn after every 3 ounces of formula or after each breast to avoid gas and spitting up later.
- If you need to get a shower and you just can't put your newborn down, put her in her car seat and bring her into the bathroom while you take your shower. She'll enjoy the sound of the water and you'll enjoy getting clean.
- Place your baby in her playpen for a few minutes every day so when she's old enough to appreciate it she'll be ready and happy to be there.
- Use a large clear plastic container to store the bottle collars, nipples, and caps. Use the cover to mark them clean or dirty.
- If your baby is sick, make sure you take and record her temperature with a rectal thermometer before calling the pediatrician. The digital ones work best with a little K-Y Jelly.
- Prepare all your day's bottles of formula the night before by 9 p.m. so you'll be ready for the early morning and regular morning feedings.
- When buying an infant monitor, get more than one receiver. This way you can plant them in different parts of the house (e.g., the family room, bedroom, deck or patio) instead of having to move one unit all over the house.
- Keep your infant monitor on a bookshelf or dresser and not right next to your baby's crib. Otherwise you will hear every little toss and turn he makes through the night and it will keep you awake.
- As a new mom, it's important to take a couple of hours at least once a week to do something fun just for you (e.g., go to dinner or lunch with a friend, run in the park, go to the library and read the latest magazines).
- To help your baby sleep better through the night, establish (and stick to) a regular bedtime routine (e.g., bottle, bath, books and bed).
- Keep plenty of quick and easy snacks handy (e.g., whole-grain mini-muffins, yogurt, small pieces of cooked meat, carrot and celery sticks, nuts) for you to eat during the day to help keep your energy up while caring for your newborn.
- Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages and excessive caffeine and smoking cigarettes while nursing because all of these will be carried through your milk to your baby.
- If your baby is extremely fussy and won't settle down for a nap, put her in the car and go for a little drive. Listen to your favorite music to help calm you down; the motion of the car will likely calm her down.
- If you are feeling frustrated by your baby's cries and are having trouble comforting her, put her in her crib or playpen for 5 minutes. It won't hurther to cry for a few minutes and you can use that time to have a cup of tea or a quick snack or to get a
- Keep a normal noise level in your house when your baby naps during the day so she'll get used to sleeping in the real world.
- To avoid making your baby's formula too strong, first fill the bottle with the sterilized water so you can accurately measure the water level, then put in the powder.
- To save money on the cost of diapers and wipes, buy them in bulk at a warehouse store or buy the maximum quantity when they're on sale at a regular store.
- When giving your newborn boy a sponge bath, be careful not to pull back on his foreskin.
- When putting your baby down for a nap, give her a chance to cry and fuss for a few minutes before picking her back up. Sometimes she needs a little time to get comfortable before she falls asleep.
- To ease the discomfort and swelling of engorged breasts, put a few cold pieces of cabbage inside your nursing bra. Be sure to chill the cabbage in the refrigerator not freezer.
- Every time you sit down to nurse your baby, keep a glass of water nearby to help keep you hydrated, which makes your milk flow more easily.
- Record your baby's monthly immunizations on your calendar on the date when she had the shots so you'll have an easy-to-access record.
- A small frozen bagel makes a good first teething food for your baby. Just be sure she's in a sitting position and under your supervision while eating it. Take it away once it gets too mushy.
- Never put solid foods (e.g., cereal) in your baby's bottle because it adds unnecessary calories and may pose a choking hazard.
- To make sure your sick baby is getting enough fluids to keep her hydrated, check for at least five to six wet diapers a day. Call your doctor if she doesn't wet a diaper for 8 hours.
- When talking to your baby, give her a chance to respond to your questions and comments even if it's just a coo, gurgle or squeal of delight. This teaches her how to have a conversation.
- Offer only one new food every three to five days to your baby. This way, if there’s an allergic reaction to the food you’ll see it right away.
- Place pillows around your baby when she's first learning to sit up. This way if she topples over, the pillows will be there to break her fall.
- When vacationing at the beach with your baby, fill a small inflatable pool with warm water so she can play under an umbrella, safe from the sun.
- Schedule long car trips around your baby's nap schedule so she'll be rested and refreshed when you arrive at your destination.
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