Baby books sometimes leave out the father completely when it comes to newborn baby care
. This is a problem for fathers who want to take an active part in caring for their new baby. These tips are for all new parents but they involve a side of newborn baby care that a father can take charge of. For mother's out there don't forget to involve the new dad in baby duties, men may not have natural maternal instinct but all new dads want the best for their children.
Checkups
Medical checkup are an important part of newborn baby care. Baby's development needs constant checkups so that the doctor can make sure everything is fine with your baby. The first checkup a baby should have is within a week or two weeks of birth. Your baby will be weighed, measured, and the doctor will examine your baby thoroughly.
Part of a newborn's medical checkup is a hearing test. Ask your doctor about this if you are not sure if one has been performed. It's an important to determine early if your baby has any hearing difficulties. Don't be afraid to ask any questions about newborn baby care during the checkups.
Bath Time
Nursing is a time for newborns to bond with mommy but dads can bond with baby during bath time. Bathing is an important part of newborn baby care and this is one area of newborn baby care that father's can take charge of on a regular basis. This can be a little scary as babies can be very slippery.
Until the baby's umbilical cord falls out you only need to sponge down baby. Gently sponge baby with a damp washcloth for the next ten to fourteen days. Once you start bathing be sure to use natural baby care. This is an important part of newborn baby care; you don't want to expose your child to chemicals unnecessarily.
The most important thing to remember when bathing a newborn is that you must never leave a child unattended in a bathtub. Even if the water is very shallow and your baby can sit up the danger of drowning is always present.
Lay out the towel you will use later before bathing your baby. The bath water should only be two or three inches deep. This may not seem like enough but it's enough water to get baby clean. Don't undress your baby until right before you are about to start bathing.