Irritated skin may be a sign that your baby has sensitive skin. Perhaps your laundry detergent or baby soap is not mild enough and / or your baths are too hot. Maybe your baby is reacting to something in your breast milk or has an intolerance to cow based formula? It is possible that they are sensitive to new foods if you have started feeding them solids. Giving isolated foods for three to five days in a row should help you to pinpoint if it is a new food that is bothering your baby.
Circumcision of baby boys is a surgical procedure to remove the foreskin of the penis, often done during the first few days of life. Not medically necessary, circumcision is a ‘non-therapeutic’ procedure and therefore not an insurable expense. Parents who opt for circumcision often do so for cultural or religious reasons.
In order to make the right decision, parents should be fully informed of the risks and benefits of the surgery, and therefore should speak to their medical professional. The Canadian Pediatric Society does not recommend routine circumcision for newborn boys, and many pediatricians no longer perform them.
Although serious complications from surgery are rare, newborn circumcision has been associated with surgical mistakes including having too much skin removed. Other things to consider are that too much bleeding or infection may occur in the area, or urinary tract infections before the age of one.
Urinary tract infections can also occur in babies who are not circumcised, and some require circumcision later in life for medical reasons due to reoccurring infections. Older children who are circumcised may have more complications than newborns.
When baby just can’t be soothed there are a few tricks to try. Here’s what we found effective:
- swaddling
- football hold (2 thumbs up!)
- walk in a sling or baby carrier or holding baby close
- tummy or back rubs
- take a shower together, warm water may be comforting
- pacifier – sucking is calming to a baby
- white noise – babies like lulling sounds created by vacuums, clothes dryers, TVs or driving in a car
- colic drops or gripe water – perhaps there is a burp that needs to come out!
- Infacol is available to relieve trapped wind
Sleep issues are one of the perennial hot topics at Mom Group. Getting enough sleep with a newborn (or two!) in the house is one of the hardest things you will face during the first year. In theory babies who weigh over 11lbs are heavy enough and getting enough nutrients throughout the day to allow them to sleep through the night. Some practitioners state that parents should let their child ‘cry it out’ after six months of age; or at least explore changing baby’s expectation that you will rush in a pick them up at the slightest whimper.
If you are someone who is used to being self-sufficient, get prepared to receive help.If you have friends and family who want to be there for you, make a list of things that you need and see if they are prepared to help you do these things for a short while whilst you get used to your new role as parents.
It’s hard, particularly with multiples, to have time to bond with each baby. Try not to forget how special this time is for you and your family, and try to make some quiet time to treasure your new addition(s). Getting enough sleep is key in this regard.
You are physically and mentally exhausted, you may not feel too attractive under that housecoat/sweat pants/yesterday’s clothes and you probably missed your daily shower. Not only that but you may be feeling quite sensitive about your weight or appearance post-delivery. Not exactly a recipe for romance! Your hormones are all over the place and may take awhile to readjust – loss of libido is very normal after pregnancy. Just know that you are not alone.
Your Public Health Nurse will probably strongly suggest that you attend your local weekly group meeting, and this is good advice. The group setting we’re familiar with is an informal, relaxed atmosphere where everyone sits on a gym mat playing with their babies and getting acquainted with other moms. If the group is run by the local health unit, there will be a nurse there to answer questions and who will have a scale available for you to weigh your baby. Mom group is an excellent outlet for questions (many of which other mums will have) on things like breastfeeding, teething, sleeping issues and first foods. The age range of the babies is typically from two weeks to nine months old, so moms with more ‘experience’ or who have already gone through some of these things may have good advice too.
There are lots of products available but here are a few of the critical things you’ll probably need for baby’s carewhen you come home:
acetaminophen suspension for infants – for fevers or if needed after vaccinations
antibiotic ointment – for control of wound infections
batteries – for all of the baby equipment!
calamine lotion – for heat rash or sunburn
diapers/diaper wipes
gentle baby wash/shampoo
gripe water – good for fussy babies who need to get a burp up
hand sanitizer – it’s good to have one by each sink for visitors to use
hydrogen peroxide – helps keep the umbilical stump clean
silicone skin cream – good for preventing diaper rash
vaseline – keeps moisture in and soothes skin
vitamin D drops dietary supplement – breastfed babies require daily 400 IU for one year
You may consider creating an emergency contact list to have handy in the event of an emergency.