When a baby gets home after the maternity hospital, the first day makes young mothers panic, especially if this is their first birth. What you need to know after discharge from the hospital and what to do? How to properly plan your schedule? Such questions seem to fall like an avalanche on newly-made mothers. But lack of experience is not a problem. We will tell you in detail what every mother needs to know after childbirth, and how the first days of the baby pass at this time.

On the first day after discharge from the hospital, you first need to have a good rest and, if possible, entrust most of the household duties to your loved ones. And then you yourself get involved in a “not boring” new life. Where do you need to start?

First meeting

Newborn babies on postcards and pictures look like angels: rosy-cheeked, plump, with folds. Maybe because of this stereotype, new mothers are surprised by the appearance of their own newborn crumbs: wrinkled skin, uneven color, which is covered with something white, a disproportionately large head, thin twisted arms and legs ... Such a sight is not at all for the faint of heart. Therefore, every mommy immediately has a question: is everything all right with her baby? The fact is that the appearance of newborn babies is always so strange. It's quite normal. Appearance has its own characteristics, which disappear some time after birth (several days, months). Most often it is:

• The head is oblong, ovoid. The bones of the skull, passing through the narrow birth canal, adapt to them, so the head immediately after childbirth is of this shape. It will become round in a few days.
• The presence of fontanelles - depressions on the head of the child, which are covered with skin. Their overgrowth occurs by the age of one.
• Swelling of the face. Sometimes because of this, the eyes may not even open. This phenomenon disappears after a few days.
• Physiological hypertonicity is a normal state in the first days of the neonatal period. By about three months of age, the legs and arms cease to shrink strongly. If this does not happen, be sure to consult a doctor.
• It happens that in boys, the testicles (both or one) do not descend into the groin area. You can not focus on this for up to a year. But if the situation does not change by this age, the baby needs the help of a surgeon.
• Swelling of the nipples, sometimes milk can even be released from them (regardless of the sex of the child), redness and enlargement of the genitals, bloody discharge from the vagina in girls is considered as a variant of the norm. This condition is due to a hormonal crisis. It can occur 3-5 days after birth and lasts about a week.

How are the first days of a newborn at home?

After being discharged from the hospital, the mother herself begins to take care of the baby. After all, almost all hygiene procedures were performed by nurses. Extremely trivial procedures, which will become a routine in the near future, will cause anxiety among parents at first. When caring for a newborn, the following actions are performed:

• Washing, which includes the treatment of the eyes, nose, ears.
• Treatment of the umbilical wound.
• Trimming nails.

The child must be washed from the first days of his life. This procedure is performed with cotton pads, which are moistened with boiled water. A separate disc must be taken for each eye. The eye is rubbed from the outer to the inner corner. Be sure to wipe the moistened cotton pad behind the baby's ears. In this case, do not touch the inside of the ears, but only the auricle. The nose is cleaned with cotton swabs.

The navel should be treated twice a day, for example, in the morning and in the evening. For this purpose, first put a few drops (2-3) of hydrogen peroxide on the umbilical wound. It will foam and so the dirt is much easier to remove. Perform this procedure with a cotton swab. After that, the navel is treated with brilliant green.

A child's nails need to be cut very often (about 1 time in 3 days), because they grow very quickly. The most convenient time for this is during sleep (deep phase). Toenails are cut in a straight line, and on the hands - in a semicircle. So that in the first days of life the newborn does not scratch his face, you need to put on special mittens on the handles or use undershirts with sewn sleeves.

Features of newborn care

An important point is hygiene measures after discharge from the hospital. What do you need to know about this?

First, from the moment of birth, babies need to be bathed every day. Even the first day after discharge should not be an exception. Soap is used no more than once a week. For a child, you need to buy a separate bath. Do not forget that until the baby's umbilical wound has healed, bathe in water with the addition of a small amount of manganese (its color should be slightly pink) to disinfect the wound or boiled water. In the first days after the maternity hospital, it is undesirable to add herbs to the water in order to avoid the possibility of developing allergic reactions.

The temperature of the bathing water should be within 36.6 C., and then it can be “adjusted” at the request of the child. How to understand that the water for the baby is too hot or vice versa, cold? The child shrinks into a ball if he is cold. In general, babies are extremely sensitive, therefore, as soon as they are cold, the blue of the nasolabial triangle first appears, and after a while the baby begins to tremble. If the baby is very hot or the bathing temperature is too high, reddening of the skin begins, he becomes lethargic and starts to cry. There is no need to worry too much if the water temperature is above 36.6C. The water temperature is easy to correct and make it comfortable for the baby, and after a few baths you will accurately pour water at a temperature that the child will like.

ATTENTION! The first days of a child's life are the most important, they are called the neonatal period. Its duration is 28 days. It is at this time that the child adapts to life in a new world, parents try to learn to understand his needs and desires. During this difficult time, it is important to take care of your baby.

Be sure to check your baby's skin every day. Parents may find different rashes. When you see whiteheads on your face, you don’t need to worry - this is a hormonal rash. Rashes of red color may be evidence of a possible allergy. This must be reported to the pediatrician. A nursing mother needs to reconsider her diet and exclude allergenic foods. Skin care products can also provoke an allergic reaction.

Care in the first days of a baby's life includes maintaining a comfortable state of external conditions: humidity and temperature. Within the normal range, humidity should be at least 50%, and the temperature should be within 21-22 ° C. In winter, this is more difficult to achieve, because the housing is heated by batteries. For this purpose, many mothers buy special humidifiers. Normal humidity levels will also help maintain open aquaria.

Baby's bowel movements

Immediately after birth, the newborn poops and pees little. During the first two days of life, he passes out meconium - the original feces of a dark color. Then, from about the 4th day of life, the feces become golden yellow in color. The frequency of bowel movements is 3-4 times a day. A newborn can urinate up to 25 times a day.

Sometimes it happens that a newborn may experience constipation or stool retention. Rare bowel movements are not yet evidence of constipation. With artificial nutrition, bowel movements occur every other day, but the feces remain soft. In case of persistent constipation in the baby, be sure to consult a doctor. If this case is a single one, additional drinking will come to the rescue.

Child's body weight and nutrition calculation

A newborn in the first days of his life loses weight. This figure should normally be no more than 6% of birth weight. In this case, this is a physiological weight loss, which in no way can affect the health of the crumbs. If the weight loss exceeds 10%, then the child needs an additional examination by a neonatologist.

Weight loss can be explained by the fact that a newborn baby has a very small stomach volume - only 7 cm. But by the 4th day it increases to 40 ml, and on day 10 - up to 80-90 ml. It is because of this that the daily amount of feeding in the first days of life is calculated according to one formula, and after 10 days another is used.

What are these formulas? So, until the 10th day of a child's life, the calculation is carried out in two ways, which depend on the weight of the child and his age (days):

• With a newborn weighing up to 3200 grams, the daily amount of food is calculated: multiply the age in days by a factor of 70. For example, a baby is 6 days old, its weight is 3100 grams. Daily amount of food = 6X70 = 420 ml.
• If the weight of the child is more than 3200 grams, the daily amount of food is calculated: multiply the age in days by a factor of 80. If, for example, a child of 6 days has a weight of 3500 grams, then the daily amount of food is calculated by the formula 6X80 = 480 ml.
• For children who are not yet 10 days old, a single amount of food is calculated using the following formula: age in days is multiplied by 10. For example, for a child on the 3rd day of life, a single amount of food is calculated 3 × 10 = 30 ml.
• For children after 10 days of life, its weight is multiplied by the coefficient:

10 days-1.5 months - 1/5;

1.5-4 months - 1/6;

4-6 months - 1/7;

6-8 months - 1/8;

8-12 months - 1/9.

For example, for a child weighing 4500 grams per day, the following volume is needed: 4500 × 1/6 = 750 ml.

It is easy to follow the calculations if the baby is bottle-fed. After calculating the required volume, it is easily measured with a scale on the bottle. For children who are breastfed, the amount of food eaten is measured in fact, and then compared with the calculated one. For this, the child is weighed before feeding, and then after it, and the difference in indicators is calculated (at this time, clothes and a diaper are not changed to prevent the possibility of measurement errors).

Every child is defenseless and fragile, he needs the support of his mother and her help. The birth process itself is a huge stress for him. So how can a mother help him, who is afraid to even pick up a baby? Moms, do not be shy, you will definitely succeed! Remember that the connection between mother and child is very strong, so only you can feel and understand what exactly he needs. And with time, experience and skill will come.

Love your kids, and you will be fine!

The DUNCAN clinic employs highly qualified pediatricians and a neonatologist Belova Tatyana Alexandrovna.

Clothing for the newborn also needs to be taken care of in advance. It is unacceptable to use clothes made of coarse fabrics with many fasteners, studs and zippers. In addition, you should pay attention to the seams in the clothes - they should not be rough, and ideally they should be on the outside. Currently, there are no problems with the selection of clothes for babies.

It is important to pay attention to how the child is dressed. Parents should always follow the rule - put on a child one more layer of clothing than yourself. You can check whether a child is hot or cold with a simple test - check the back of his head. If it is cold, the baby is cold, if it is hot or sweaty, it is necessary to undress the baby.

Umbilical wound care

In the maternity hospital, the navel is cared for by medical staff, but after discharge, in most cases, the umbilical wound does not have time to heal. Doctors advise using brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide and sterile cotton swabs when caring for the navel. If you follow this advice, then there will be no problems in processing. Hydrogen peroxide is great for removing crusts, after which it is necessary to constantly treat with brilliant green until the umbilical wound is completely dry. It is necessary to carry out this procedure 2 times a day.

Until the umbilical wound has healed, it is necessary to use special diapers with a notch under the navel. This condition must be observed - this will help to avoid unnecessary trauma to the umbilical wound. In the event that the navel does not heal within 2 weeks, or if redness or discharge appears at any time, you should immediately contact a specialist for help.

Hygiene procedures

Wash your baby after every diaper change. It would seem a simple procedure, but even here there are difficulties and nuances. It is worth remembering that boys and girls are washed away in different ways. When washing, it is better not to use soap, and if you decide to use it, it is better to choose a neutral one. It is most convenient to wash the baby in the sink, and for your convenience, you need to put a special container for dirty diapers and a towel within reach.

When washing girls, the baby must be held up with her tummy. When washing, you should be extremely delicate. When washing boys, everything is easier - the child can be held as convenient, but you can not touch the foreskin of the child.

How to wash a newborn?

For washing use boiled water at room temperature and cotton pads. With moistened cotton balls, it is necessary to gently wipe each eye, while a separate cotton pad must be used for each eye. It is necessary to wipe the eyes from the outer edge to the inner. After washing, it is necessary to dry the face of the crumbs with a clean handkerchief.

How to clean the nose?

Before proceeding with the direct cleaning of the nose, it is necessary to soften the crusts. To do this, use saline or saline solution, 1 drop in each nostril. After you have dripped the solution, you must wait for a while. Just during this time, the baby can sneeze, and the crusts can come out on their own. In order to remove the remaining crusts, it is necessary to twist the cotton turundas. Cotton swabs are strictly prohibited!
Cotton turundas must be slowly screwed into the nasal passage and then also carefully removed. You can not clean both nostrils at once or let go of the cotton flagellum - the baby can inhale it.

How to clean ears?

The ears of the little one are also treated with cotton swabs and discs. Do not allow water to enter the child's ear canal. When processing, it is necessary to process not only the auricle, but also behind it. Desquamated epithelium often accumulates behind the ear, which contributes to the development of irritation.

In case of excess sulfur in the ear canal, it is also removed with cotton turundas. At the same time, they should not be pushed too deep, so as not to push the sulfur deeper, or not to damage the delicate shell of the ear canal.

bathing baby

Before you start bathing the baby, you need to create some conditions, so there should be no drafts in the room where the baby will bathe. The air temperature should be around 25º, but not lower than 21º. For bathing, you need to choose a time that is convenient not only for parents, but also for the child. The best time to bathe your baby is in the evening when the baby is less active. Subsequently, bathing is best done at the same time - this will help the baby adapt more easily.

Items and means of hygiene

The moment of childbirth was successfully postponed, several days in the maternity hospital are coming to an end, the joyful moment of discharge comes, when you finally find yourself at home with your baby in your usual surroundings. But for many new parents, coming home becomes a real shock, because the baby, having woken up, began to cry and demand attention, and there are no longer numerous medical workers near you who can explain to you the reason for crying and your next steps. So how to behave with a child at home, especially in the first days after discharge, what should be done and what should one be aware of?

It is no secret that many mothers who did their job well in the maternity hospital, left alone with a newborn, do not know what to do with him and are even afraid to pick him up. That is why you should try to avoid such situations by studying the information on how to properly care for your child at home after discharge.

Sleep and feeding

For a newborn, it is sleep and food that are the main components of his daily life for the first month. It is better to breastfeed the baby, it is not only healthier for the baby, but also more convenient for the mother. It is not necessary to give a breast to a child by the hour, it is better to arrange feeding on demand, when the baby wants and asks for food. At first, breastfeeding will look chaotic, but over time, the baby will “draw up” a specific feeding schedule for which parents can adjust.

It is not necessary in the early days to allocate a separate room for the child. In the first few weeks, the baby will often wake up at night and eat. In this case, it will be more convenient for mom to be next to him, and not run to him in another room. Many mothers try to be as close as possible to the baby for the first few days, so they move his crib to their own or even put the baby with them.

Most often, the baby falls asleep almost after each feeding. The first few weeks, newborns spend most of the day sleeping - up to 19 hours. But already by six months, your baby will reduce the regaling time to 12-13 hours, learn to distinguish night from day, begin to sleep longer at night and less during the day. By the age of one year, the baby will sleep like an adult - all night and a couple of hours after dinner.

Parents do not always know exactly the answer to the question of whether to swaddle the baby or not. Doctors today say that it will be better for the baby if he feels freedom, this will help him in psychomotor development. But mothers may notice that in the first days the baby is simply afraid of her legs and arms, so they try to swaddle the baby for sleep. And in fact, such a dream turns out to be much stronger and better. Therefore, try to swaddle the baby for the first 3 weeks before going to bed and “release” it to freedom after waking up.

About hygiene and diapers

For more than a year now, there has been an active debate about. Someone continues to claim that they cause irreparable harm to children, but someone understands that these are prejudices and there is nothing wrong with using modern diapers. And all the fears of parents and the older generation are associated with the myth that boys can develop infertility when wearing diapers in childhood. But today we can already say with certainty that this is a myth. And "pampers" are absolutely safe, both for boys and for girls.

Of course, in the use of diapers, certain rules must be observed in order to avoid unpleasant consequences. This may include the following:

1. Change the diaper immediately after the baby went "by big".
2. Change after a maximum of 6 hours, even if the baby just peed.
3. Give the little ass sometimes "breathe."

Bathing a newborn

You need to bathe the baby immediately after discharge from the hospital, since recently newborns have not been washed after birth, but only wiped with special means. Daily bathing of the crumbs should become a ritual for him. As a rule, children quickly get used to water procedures and tolerate everyday traditions well. But if the child resists for the first few days, there is nothing wrong with that. Over time, you can add not only bathing foam to the water, but also put all kinds of toys. The main thing to remember is that the baby should not be left alone in the bathroom, even if he lies on the "slide" or swims in.

After the baby is bathed, you need to give him a few minutes to wake up and then put him to bed. In this case, it is simply necessary to observe the time regime. So you teach your child to fall asleep after going to the bathroom.

Walks in the open air

Do not forget that you need to walk with your child every day and in any weather. The first day of the walk should take place within 10 days after discharge, but only if it is not colder than minus 10 degrees outside. Otherwise, the first walk should be rescheduled for 20 days after arriving home.

The first time you need to walk is not long, 10-15 minutes. But every day, the time outside should increase, reaching 1.5-2 hours at a time. And ideally, you should go out with the crumbs twice a day. Sunlight will help the baby saturate the body with vitamin D, and cool air will help harden the baby.

The first days the baby will constantly sleep on a walk. Therefore, at this time, a mother can do a lot of useful things at home if she manages to organize baby walks with grandparents. After a couple of months, the child will have less and less desire to sleep on the street, and he will begin to get acquainted with the environment in an accelerated mode. At this moment, most often the child requires the presence of the mother herself.

He cries - what to do

Having brought the baby from the hospital, you may encounter the first most terrible problem - the baby is crying! Of course he must cry! However, more and more often you can hear the mother's lamentation that in the maternity hospital the baby was a completely calm child, all these days he only slept and ate, and as soon as he was brought home, he began to cry all the time. Someone will write it off for a change of scenery, someone for the “bad” eye of others. In fact, everything is easier. The first days after birth, the baby sleeps because he needs rest after the physical exertion that he experienced during the birth. But after a few days, when the baby is already at home, the baby begins to adapt to the new environment and explore the world, so he is no longer up to sleep. And crying is the only way a baby can convey to adults about their childhood troubles.

You will soon begin to recognize your baby's crying. You will understand that he cries like this when he is hungry, but like this when he wants to sleep, and completely different when something hurts him. Mostly babies cry because they experience some kind of discomfort, or they are tormented by the tummy. But there are also kids who often get bored and sad, and they call their mommy for help. Learning the "language" of crying is not as difficult as it seems. The main thing is to be close to the baby and, if possible, devote more time to him.

The importance of order in the house

After you and your baby arrive home, it is very important to organize your life. Particular attention should be paid not to the whole house (let him wait for now), but to the baby's room. To behave confidently with a newborn baby, you need to know that all the necessary things are at your fingertips. Indeed, at first it may be difficult for you to handle your child, he will need to handle the navel, wash his eyes, change diapers and carry out other maternal affairs. Therefore, do not waste time looking for the right accessories, let diapers, cotton swabs, powders and creams be in one place, where it is most convenient for you.

Do not place various shelves above the baby's head. Some changing tables have shelves on which it is very convenient to place various jars of creams and powders. But doing this is not recommended if there is even the slightest chance that all this can collapse on the child.

In general, to behave naturally with your baby, you do not need a lot of work. The main thing is that you understand that everything will now go a little differently for you, that now the life of this crumb depends entirely on you and your household. Therefore, it would not hurt to accustom them to a special order. Let them take an active part in the life of the baby, so that they also know how to treat him and what to do with him.

Time for yourself

Despite the fact that you were driving from the hospital with a sense of long-awaited release from captivity, the reality suddenly turns out to be different. And your baby, peacefully sleeping in the hospital, flatly refuses to behave as quietly at home. And your dreams that you can now finally put yourself in order, put on makeup and do a manicure, crashed into everyday life on the very first day of your stay at home.

Now you don’t know how to have time to deal with the baby, clean up the house, and cook food. What kind of manicure is there, it turns out to wash only in the evening, when the husband returns from work! But you can't behave like that. Now you are a mother, and now you need to do a lot, not forgetting about yourself.

There are several tips:

1. Put a bassinet in the kitchen. So you can cook and do household chores so that your baby is supervised.
2. Buy a sling. So your baby will be able to be in close proximity to your body. This option is especially good for restless babies who know with a sixth sense that mom is about to leave the room and begin to protest loudly.
3. Sleep with your baby. Do not think about the mountain of linen and unprepared dinner. In the early days, you just need to get good sleep. At first, it will be difficult for you to get used to the new rhythm, but over time you can learn to live according to the child’s schedule and manage to manage household chores.
4. Ask loved ones to give you at least half an hour, during which you can put yourself in order. This is especially important in the first days of staying at home, when the psychological state is still a little unstable.

The first days at home is another test that every mommy goes through. The main thing to remember is that now you have a new family member, and that it is he who is now the center of your universe!

Life begins with a new, long-awaited and already very beloved family member. And even if the child is not the first in the family, it doesn’t matter, especially at first, with the advent of a newborn at one moment, parents have a lot of new worries.

What difficulties can a young mother expect immediately after discharge from the hospital, and how to deal with them? Let's try to answer these questions.

• Guests: to accept or not?
• Mom's dream
• First bath
• Newborn care

"The main rule in the first days after the hospital, from which, in fact, all the specific advice follows is to rest as much as possible!

Yes, sometimes after childbirth, against the backdrop of emotional upsurge and rapid hormonal changes, it seems to a young mother that she is full of strength and energy, and can literally move mountains. Believe me, this is a deceptive feeling! The body of a woman who has recently given birth, having already withstood a considerable load during pregnancy, is actively rebuilt, lactation is established. Especially a lot of strength was spent during childbirth, and there were probably plenty of experiences. And if you do not save your strength, in just a few days, overwork can make itself felt with weakness, and sometimes even.

Here are some tips on how to save your strength in the first days after the birth.

Guests: to accept or not?

Finally, all relatives can see a new family member! And often a solemn meeting from the maternity hospital smoothly turns into a home feast. It's nice, no doubt. But most often - and very tiring, both for a mother who has not yet recovered from childbirth, and for a baby who is not used to the new environment and fuss. Although there are, of course, exceptions, when mother not only welcomes guests with pleasure, but even easily prepares a festive table herself. However, often all that a woman wants after the maternity hospital is to relax and get comfortable with the baby in her native walls.

How to be, so as not to offend relatives who are eager to congratulate young parents, and at the same time spend the first day at home as calmly as possible?

"In fact, the majority is sympathetic to the fact that after the maternity hospital, the mother is not yet ready to receive guests, and do not be afraid to announce that you will be ready to receive visits later. But for the closest, for example, grandparents, you can , of course, make an exception - ask them to drop by for a while.

By the way, it’s not at all superfluous to ask them for help - for example, to buy something you need on the way that you forgot about, or to help dad around the house, who has been hit by a lot of things (hang a shelf, wash the dishes, cut a salad ...).

Well, if the parents are categorically against visiting the child in the first days, a holiday in honor of the first month lived by the baby, or christening, can be an excellent option. By this time, it will be possible to gather strength, get used to the new conditions and, slowly, prepare for the “bride”.

Mom's dream

It is known that newborn babies in the first month sleep most of the time, waking up only for feedings (at least, pediatricians believe so). It would seem - what is the problem, why shouldn't mom sleep off, recovering from childbirth? In practice, everything is somewhat more complicated.
Firstly, even a perfectly calm baby in the first month wants to eat often and irregularly, including at night - that is, the vast majority of parents can only dream of sleeping for at least 6 hours in a row in the first days.
Secondly, at the slightest deviation in well-being (for example, digestive problems, neurological problems after difficult births), the baby will certainly “break” the ideal regimen, and whole hours without sleep are quite possible, regardless, again, of the time of day.

"The way out suggests itself: forget about the previous, "childless" schedule and sleep as soon as possible, at least in very small portions, when the child is sleeping or someone else is taking care of him.

For many, it is more convenient to sleep with a child. On top of everything else, getting enough sleep helps a lot with lactation!

Walking in the first days after discharge

Opinions of experts about when to start walking with a newborn differ greatly. In Soviet times, in warm weather, walks were recommended from the very first days, and long ones. Now you can hear directly opposite advice - do not leave the house with your baby for a month or more. Within the framework of this article, we will not argue about where the truth is (most likely, as usual, somewhere in the middle).

"I would only like to emphasize that a walk in the first days and even weeks after childbirth should not cause fatigue in the mother.

If the weather is bad, especially in winter, there is no need to rush to walk with the child in the first days. But if, on the contrary, the mother wants to get some air, show the baby the world, and the weather is conducive to this - why not? The main thing is that this does not turn into “obligatory” long hiking trips, for which she does not have enough strength for the first time after giving birth. By the way, dad or grandmother can also walk with the baby, giving mom an additional opportunity to relax.

Feeding in the first days of a child's life

Within the framework of this article, we will not dwell on breastfeeding issues in detail - after all, we are only talking about about the first hours and days after the birth. But, nevertheless, feeding is the most important part of the life of a mother with a newborn, and it is important to try to avoid possible problems.
On the topic of breastfeeding, many copies have been broken.

" Let's just try to give a few tips in order to make life easier for moms in the first days at home.

1. Feed on demand.
   Even if you are a strict regimen, trust me, don't set limits just yet: it will be much easier, instead of soothing, to just try to feed your baby every time he is worried or when his breasts feel full. This will save a lot of effort and nerves for you and him.
2. Don't express unnecessarily.
   That is, if you do not need to leave, or there is no feeling of fullness in the chest (in the second case, they are expressed until they are relieved, and not “dry”). For some reason, the persistent myth, which still exists in some places in our maternity hospitals, that after each feeding it is necessary to express the rest of the milk, takes a lot of time and effort from young mothers.
3. Don't wash your breasts after every feed.
   If you want, rinse it with warm water, no soap. But in general, subject to hygiene standards, a common shower once a day is quite enough. In fact, this is not such a trifle: I remember that in Soviet times, women sometimes rushed into the bathroom a couple of dozen times a day - before each feeding (even if the child only tried to suck and did not want to) and after it, on the recommendation of pediatricians, thoroughly washed soapy chest. Now, fortunately, no one requires such a fuss.
4. Don't be too restrictive in your food choices. Although the question of whether is also controversial, your body now definitely needs good nutrition. So, in any case, try to eat a balanced diet and drink plenty (a nursing mother just needs a lot of liquid!).

First bath

Most likely, when discharged from the maternity hospital, the neonatologist recommended starting bathing the newborn on the same day. And for first-born mothers, especially if there are no grandmothers nearby, this sometimes becomes a real test!
In fact, a lot of small practical questions arise: how to install a bath? Or do you prefer a large bath? Do you boil water? Should I add something to it, and what exactly? What temperature to do, and how to adjust it (in the absence of experience, this also does not work out quickly)? Should you bathe your baby before or after feeding? With soap or without? How long should the first bath take?

And most importantly - how to hold it so as not to drop it?!

Of course, it would be better if you think through all the household trifles as much as possible in advance, and also
However, we dare to assure you: if something goes "not according to plan", nothing irreparable will happen. The child will not be harmed by too short a bath (for example, he screamed out of habit). Slightly warmer or colder water than pediatricians advise is also not a reason to panic, the main thing is be sure to always try it a second before you dip the baby!
How it is more convenient to hold the child while bathing, you can see on the Internet (the classic position is the baby's neck on the elbow of the left hand of mom or dad). It is very good if at first dad helps mom while bathing, and maybe it will even become his honorable duty?

"And even if there was no bathing at all on the first day at home, this does not at all mean "deuce" to you, as parents.

The child may fall asleep soundly or, on the contrary, cry desperately just when the parents have finally prepared everything. They may not be up to it for new troubles, and so on. Nothing, bathe the baby tomorrow! After all, the main task for today is my mother's peace of mind.

Newborn care

Hygiene procedures are something that, without delay, will need to be done on the first day after discharge from the hospital.

• After swimming, you will need. This is quite simple and really necessary: ​​if bathing did not take place, treat the navel anyway at the next diaper change.
• If the baby's nails have grown strongly, it is better to cut them without delay so that he does not get scratched.
• a newborn, mother is usually shown in the hospital. If it is not at all difficult to wipe the eyes with cotton wool from the outer edge of the eyes to the inner, then in order to clean the nose with a cotton flagellum, you need a certain skill - if possible, ask someone more experienced for a “master class”. However, if the nose is clean and breathes freely, leave it alone!
• There is no need to urgently achieve sterility, “like in a maternity hospital”, especially since your family, of course, has already done a wet cleaning. It is enough to observe the usual hygiene standards.
• But it is necessary to ventilate the apartment (without creating drafts), as well as to maintain not too dry air in it - the latter is especially important during the heating season. If there is no humidifier, they can temporarily help out ... diapers hung out to dry.

The first day at home with a baby is a wonderful event! May it pass in every family as calmly and joyfully as possible!

A child, boy or girl, is the joy of the home. But the first days following discharge from the maternity hospital turn for young mothers, if not into a nightmare, then into a very difficult period of life, since it is difficult to immediately take up the screaming little ball of life right away.

Any woman has an instinct and intuition that will help her cope with herself and get down to business. There are also experienced relatives who are ready to help take care of a boy or a girl. If not, the following highlights will explain what a mother needs to know about her baby in the early days of life. You can also watch videos on the most important aspects of caring for your baby.

The appearance of a newborn in the house is a serious responsibility, most of which falls on a young mother. She vitally needs reliable and complete information about caring for the baby

Where does newborn care begin?

With the hygiene of the baby, his feeding and rest regimen. Hygiene is an important factor in ensuring the health of a growing organism, it is especially important in the first days of his life. How to properly bathe a newborn (more in the article:)? From what age of a child are bath procedures allowed?

The baby begins to bathe approximately 5 days after birth. This is due to the fact that in a large number of children by this time the umbilical stump is mummified and falls off (the remainder of the umbilical cord, pinched with a special clothespin-clip). The term for falling off the stump is from 3 to 10 days. Normally, if the umbilical cord is thick and wide, the stump can last up to 2 weeks. What, the child does not bathe all this time? Doctors recommend wet rubdowns.

When the umbilical residue is separated and up to the healing of the umbilical wound, it is recommended to bathe the child in boiled water. There is another opinion: a number of experts believe that it is enough to add a weakly concentrated manganese solution to the tap water and carefully treat the umbilical wound after the procedure.

Decoctions and extracts of herbs are not added until the umbilical wound heals. In the future, you can bathe the baby in herbal decoctions in agreement with the pediatrician (we recommend reading:).

What is required for swimming?

Caring for a baby is hard work, but fun. For a child, it is better to purchase a personal special baby bath (we recommend reading:). This is both more hygienic, and there is no risk of scaring the baby by plunging into a large bath.

If parents are informed, bathing a baby can be a real pleasure for the whole family. The best tank will be a special baby bath

What else to buy:

• thermometer;
• towel (soft);
• manganese;
• cotton buds;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• solution of brilliant green (brilliant green).

The water temperature should be in the range of 36.6-37 C. A thermometer is used to determine it (we recommend reading:). If for some reason the mother did not have time to get a thermometer, the water temperature can be determined by pouring a thin stream on the back of the forearm closer to the elbow. The water temperature should be close to body temperature.

Bathing the baby, you should carefully observe him. The thermoregulation of a newborn is not as perfect as that of an adult. Therefore, it can easily become supercooled or overheated. If the child's skin is pale and the nasolabial triangle is slightly blue - the baby is cold, if his skin becomes reddish, he overheats. In this case, you need to change the temperature of the water in the right direction.

Principles of rational breastfeeding

• correctly give a nipple to a child;
• follow the rule - one feeding one breast (if milk production is in sufficient quantity);
• do not express or do it out of necessity (in the case of lactostasis - stagnation of "distant" milk, which the child of the first days of life is not yet able to suck out, or a long absence of the mother);
• take good care of your breasts.

Not every child after birth can take the breast correctly, and not every mother can offer it correctly. Because of this, there can be both feeding problems and damage to the mother's nipples by the gums of the newborn.

When the baby opens her mouth wide, the nipple must be pushed in such a way that it captures not only it, but also the adjacent tissues (the painted area around the nipple, called the alveolus). The alveolus should be almost completely in the child's mouth and only slightly peek out from above. It is better to watch the whole process on the video.

If there is enough milk, modern pediatrics recommends feeding the newborn on demand, especially in the first days after birth. Thus, the baby not only eats, but also communicates with her mother, and also stimulates the production of milk by the mammary glands.

Feeding a baby is a whole art in which there must be a complete intuitive understanding with the baby. If something goes wrong, it's better to watch videos of more experienced moms, where they talk about their secrets.

Proper care includes treating the nipple (before and after feeding, you need to wash your breasts with clean water), using products prescribed by a doctor in case of cracks, and wearing a special bra made from natural materials.

The bra should not be tight, hold the chest well, have wide straps. It is better to buy a special bra. This will allow you to quickly change the tab soaked in milk, treat the breast and feed the newborn.

The correct attitude towards the mammary glands and breast hygiene will allow mommy to maintain her beauty, including her shape, after stopping feeding. You can also watch the care process on video.

Diapers or undershirts?

The choice of clothes for a child after the hospital is probably one of the most controversial issues. Previously, tight swaddling was recommended, today opinions are divided: a number of experts still recommend swaddling a baby, others advise sliders and undershirts.

If the mother chooses swaddling, then the newborn should not be too tight in swaddling clothes, making a “soldier” out of the child, or covering him too warmly. Infants do not tolerate heat well.

How to swaddle a baby, you should watch the video:

If mom chooses loose clothes for a child, you need to wear vests with closed hands or buy scratches for the baby. This will protect the baby from hurting himself. If the baby sleeps very restlessly or wakes itself up, in this case, swaddling may solve the problem.

Should a child wear a cap immediately after discharge from the hospital (more in the article:)? If there are no drafts in the room where the baby is located, the temperature regime is observed and the child is healthy, this is not necessary. An exception may be the time after washing the crumbs.

Whether mom prefers swaddling or rompers and undershirts, baby will need diapers. It is better to buy high-quality, "breathable". This reduces the risk of developing diaper dermatitis. You can use disposable diapers for walks. At home, reusable gauze is better. This is especially true for boys.

The use of diapers is now approved by all doctors, because this is a natural progression. However, you should not get carried away with them either - at home it is better to manage with diapers or reusable diapers

If the baby turned out to be a boy, the act of urination in the first days and even weeks of life can be painful for him. Many boys have congenital phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin), the additional exposure to a reusable diaper exacerbates the discomfort. A tight or overfilled diaper can have a mechanical effect on the penis, thereby causing discomfort.

Any child (both a boy and a girl) does not know how to completely relax when urinating, which makes the process itself unpleasant, and the pressure of the diaper on the penis worsens the situation.

How can a mother take care of herself after childbirth?

It is important that mommy takes care not only of the baby, but also of herself. First of all, it is proper nutrition. Avoid carbonated drinks, legumes, and other foods that cause bloating. You should not eat sweets for many reasons: for example, such food promotes the growth of yeast in the mother's genital tract. You need to cook food for a couple.

As for the baby, fresh fruits and vegetables can be introduced into the diet in agreement with the pediatrician, and only one product at a time to assess the reaction of the child to it.

Proper nutrition of the mother after childbirth is a must, especially if she is breastfeeding. It is worth giving preference to natural products, eat less fatty and fried foods

It is very important for a woman after discharge from the hospital and care for her genitals. First, it is advisable to refrain from lifting weights in order to allow the sutures to heal and the uterus to contract normally. If the mother had ruptures during childbirth, and staples were applied to her, you need to feed the baby in a prone position. Sitting is not recommended for 3 weeks postpartum.

Also, for personal hygiene, women who have given birth after the hospital are advised to bathe in the shower, and not take a bath until the vaginal discharge stops. Normally, postpartum discharge can be observed up to 6 weeks. You should contact a gynecologist 2 months after childbirth in order to undergo an examination and make sure that the process of uterine contraction is going on normally and there are no problems.