Cecile de Scally talks us through some of the most important aspects of baby care during the first 12 months.
0 to 3 months
Feeding
Feeding is the number one topic most midwives get asked about in the early days and it’s worth attending a prenatal class so you know what to expect. If you are breastfeeding then make sure baby is attaching well and you don’t feel any discomfort, you should never accept pain while feeding - always see a breastfeeding specialist if you need more help. You need to focus on your own nutritional needs as well as this can have a significant impact on milk supply. Remember to eat well and use “the rule of 3s” - 3 main meals; 3 smaller meals; 3 snacks; 3 litres of water - spread out over 24 hours.
If you choose to bottle feed, or if this is medically advised due to a health issue, then do not feel ashamed, the most important thing is that your baby is getting the nutrition they need. Get advice on sterilising and the correct amounts of formula as these things can seem daunting at first.
Weight
Have your baby weighed weekly for the first six weeks (using the same scales) to make sure they are on track. All babies will lose weight initially (up to 10% of their birth weight) and should start to regain weight in the first two to three weeks. Then on average they should then gain between 26 to 31g per day.
Growth spurts are normal and babies can want to feed up to every hour - these are normally on day 7, 10 and 14 (lasting a day) and again around 3, 7 and 11 weeks (lasting three to four days).
Bathing
There is no need to bathe baby daily initially. When you do, be prepared and have everything ready, turn off any cold drafts and even warm the bathroom with a little steam. Start the bath with cold water first and then add hot water to warm it to a pleasant touch. Fill the bath so that baby can be easily covered to their underarms but make sure you still feel comfortable holding them. Don’t use any products for the first four to six weeks as their skin is very sensitive, and if you do wish to use something every now again, ensure that it’s not highly perfumed and has been approved for babies. When you take them from the bath, cover them immediately and pat dry ensuring you pay attention to all the small spaces, e.g. between the toes and under arms.
3 to 6 months
Sleep
If you have not started implementing the ‘good habits’ now is a great time to start.
1. Establish a feeding pattern of around every three hours.
2. Watch for happy awake time to end, usually around 90 minutes including a feed.
3. Aim for up to four hours of sleep for baby during the day.
4. Establish bedtime, feed bath feed bed by latest 8pm.
5. Dream feed - pick up the baby just before your bedtime (around 11pm), feed and change diaper.
6. During the night let them wake you and aim to start removing this feed (you may need expert help as it very much depends on the child).
7. Don’t expect baby to sleep through for 12 hours a night until around 8-9 months.
Stimulation and play
Babies need to start tummy time around four weeks and build up to doing approximately 20 minutes, four times a day. This is important for core muscle strengthening, holding their heads and being able to chew and swallow when they are ready to start solids. Encourage them to reach for and pull on objects to develop hand-mouth co-ordination, while picking up smaller objects encourages the pincer grip for fine motor skill development. Placing toys out of reach but within eye sight starts to encourage rolling over.
6 to 9 months
Weaning and nutrition
We encourage exclusive milk feeding until six months but a lot of parents will choose to begin earlier on the advice of their doctor. There is no right or wrong way to wean your child but we recommend you do a first aid course before starting to wean. Most of all you should enjoy watching your child discover flavours and textures, and relax and remember if it’s not messy you’re doing something wrong!
General tips include:
- Introduce one new food every few days
- Start small and build up the quantity
- Keep a record of likes and dislikes
- Introduce new foods early in the day so if there is a reaction you can respond easily
- Watch for reactions and if they are severe, consult a doctor immediately
- Fruit juices (unless prepared fresh), nuts and honey, cow’s milk and egg whites should be avoided during the first year.
9 to 12 months
Baby proofing
The best advice is to sit on the floor and look around at what your child can see or reach up to. Then either move it higher or secure whatever cannot be changed, like plugs point, sharp corners and free standing furniture such as bookcases.
The cot level needs to be dropped to the lowest height so they cannot climb over and no string or cords should be attached to the cot sides, no toys with any length of cord should be left in the cot ever. Do not use cot bumpers unless they are rebreathable material and soft as children will often stand on the bumper and climb over, whereas, if it is soft it will collapse under their weight.
In the kitchen, a gate may be needed to keep your little one safe on the other side. Secure drawers and give your child a drawer they can go into, with plastic containers that fit into each other as this is a great way to indulge curiosity. Teach them about hot stoves and have the latest in protectors fitted over the oven door, cover the stove knobs and fit a guard to prevent pulling on pot handles.
Lock toilet seats and put protectors over hot taps in the bathroom. Assume all products for the kitchen or bathrooms are harmful and therefore, they should be properly labelled and locked away. Even products you use on your skin, shampoos etc, should never be beyond reach. Tablets and bottles of medication must as well be labelled and dated when they were opened and placed in a locked cabinet.
Cecile de Scally is Lead Midwife Educator at Malaak. Malaak Mamma Mornings run every Thursday between 9 to 11am with weigh ins and guest speakers. www.malaak.me