The time after birth is exciting – especially with the first child. And not infrequently, the “newborn” child parents are also particularly worried. Yet the “newborn” on its way into the world needs above all food, love, warmth and lots of physical contact – conditions for which most parents can rely on their natural instincts. And even the little aches and pains are well managed.
For the soul: lots of closeness
Just now in the comfortably warm amniotic fluid, weightless and always the muffled heart sound of the mother in the ear. Now in a noisy, bright and sometimes cold world. Babies first have to cope with this. To help with this transition, there’s only one thing to do: lots and lots of physical closeness. During the day, babies like to be everywhere, preferably on mom’s or dad’s arm, or very close to your body when you go for a walk, for example in a sling or sling.
A steady rhythm
In the mother’s womb – that was full board and carefree. Now the body has to get used to self-sufficiency. Food, for example, no longer flows automatically and temperature regulation must first get going. The latter is also the reason why babies need to be dressed warmly in the beginning: they can’t “hold” their body temperature yet and cool down easily. You can check whether your baby is cold or even too warm in the neck (not in the hands and feet, which are often cool in babies). Some babies are difficult at the beginning due to the changeover processes, they cry a lot, are difficult to calm down. The reason for this is the immaturity of the brain, which causes the baby to suffer from too much stimulation. It helps such babies to have as stable a daily rhythm as possible with regular rest breaks (about every 1.5 hours). Parents must ensure that these are observed, because not all babies signal that they are tired. When the baby is asleep, it should not be startled by loud noises (e.g., it is better to turn off the telephone). Many babies do well when they are wrapped tightly in a blanket to calm them down. This confinement reminds them of the security of the womb and gives them support and security.
What to do for a tummy ache?
Tummy ache The gastrointestinal tract of most small babies is still immature. There is frequent discomfort, especially in the first three months (therefore called three-month colic). As a rule, the crying increases more and more towards evening and the child is hardly to be calmed down. In most cases, babies have swallowed too much air while drinking and now suffer from flatulence. Therefore, as a preventive measure, make sure that the child drinks in a calm atmosphere and then burps extensively. As a nursing mother, avoid flatulent foods and drink caraway or fennel tea regularly. Put a warm (not hot!) cherry stone bag on your baby’s belly or massage his belly clockwise with warm caraway oil. It often helps to carry the baby in the so-called flyer position. In this position, the baby lies with its belly on your forearm. Some babies do well when wrapped in a blanket or held tightly.
What to do for diarrhea?
The most common cause is gastrointestinal catarrh. In infants, diarrhea is not without danger, as they cannot compensate for fluid losses as quickly and become dehydrated easily. Therefore, one should not wait longer than 6 hours to see a doctor; if vomiting is added to diarrhea, one should see a doctor immediately. Signs of dehydration are dryness of the mouth, tongue and mucous membranes. The infant’s skin appears flabby; he is usually restless and difficult to calm; in pain, he pulls his legs to his body. The doctor usually prescribes electrolyte solutions to balance the minerate balance. Breastfed infants can continue to be breastfed if they ask for it; for bottle-fed infants, consult the doctor.
What to do if vomiting occurs.
The baby also loses a lot of fluid when vomiting. Therefore, always offer your child something to drink. If the baby vomits two meals in a row or also suffers from fever or abdominal pain, you should immediately consult a doctor. Also, if the child cannot retain any liquid (even the smallest amounts), a visit to the doctor is necessary immediately.
What to do if you have a fever.
Infants run a fever quickly – especially when they have a cold.However, fever can also have many other reasons. Therefore, a fever of more than 38.5 degrees Celsius lasting longer than one day is always a reason to see a doctor for babies up to the age of 6 months. This is because they can lose a lot of water and electrolytes at this age due to heavy sweating. Because they usually also have no appetite and do not want to drink anything, the fluid loss may not be compensated quickly enough. The treatment of choice is calf compresses and medication (usually suppositories with the active ingredient paracetamol). Important: Calf compresses should only be applied when the temperature exceeds 39 degrees Celsius and the legs are noticeably hot; otherwise there is a risk of circulatory collapse. Give the baby plenty to drink, dress him lightly (if he feels hot) or warmer (if he shivers) and provide fresh air.
What to do for newborn acne?
It can occur right after birth or up to four weeks afterward. It is probably triggered by the mother’s hormones, which are passed on through the placenta. The nodules that appear on the forehead and cheeks are harmless and disappear on their own within weeks. Dabbing with breast milk can help with healing. To avoid inflammation, please do not squeeze!
What to do if you have an earache?
Most often, the reason is a middle ear infection. It often occurs in infants when an infection of the nasopharynx rises. The infant is restless and irritable, drinks poorly, and may have diarrhea and fever. Some babies wiggle their heads and keep grabbing their ears. If you suspect a middle ear infection, you should always consult a doctor. Self-help is provided by decongestant nasal drops (not ear drops, which do not reach deep enough into the inner ear), red light and heat (e.g. placing the child’s ear on a warm hot-water bottle). It is very effective to put a small bag with finely chopped onions on the ear. The doctor usually prescribes nasal drops and antibiotics, as well as suppositories or juices for the pain.
What to do if you have trouble sleeping?
Rest only. In the first month, the baby usually can not go more than 2-4 hours without food. Even more, it can not yet distinguish day and night. So it is completely normal if it regularly announces its needs during the day and also at night. If a baby cries, at this age it is either hungry or has a tummy ache or is longing for physical closeness. If these needs are satisfied and the baby continues to cry, it will no longer be able to find its way to sleep on its own. Then rhythmic rocking, carrying or stroking can help him.
What to do in case of hiccups?
Very common in babies and harmless. Most often it occurs when the belly is exposed during diapering and evaporative cold. At this age, gentle patting on the back, warm tea or a warm cherry pit bag on the belly helps.
What to do for a cold?
Since babies are nose breathers, a cold can torment them quite a bit. Of course, drinking doesn’t work as well if the child has to breathe through the mouth as a substitute. If the nose is severely blocked, special baby nose drops may be necessary. However, since these dry out the mucous membranes in the long term, they should only be given for a few days. If your baby keeps its head still, you can try to suck out the mucus with a nasal pump (beware of the risk of injury!). Since the common cold is usually a viral infection, only the symptoms can be treated. Plenty of fresh air and hanging damp cloths in the bedroom – these basic measures already help most babies a lot. Saline drops are also helpful and can be used for longer periods without hesitation.
What to do when spitting up?
“Spitting babies are thriving babies”, there is indeed some truth to this saying. But mainly because they are thriving “anyway”. In any case, spitting up is not the same as vomiting. Here, only small amounts of food are transported to the outside and this happens completely painlessly and effortlessly; this can happen even hours after the food has been ingested. The cause of the “acid regurgitation” is the stomach gate (sphincter between the stomach and the esophagus), which does not yet function properly. If the baby gains weight regularly, there is nothing to worry about. Usually, the symptom disappears on its own when the infant starts to sit and stand, or even earlier when switching from breast milk to complementary food.
What to do for diaper rash?
Sore bottom occurs occasionally in almost every infant, with signs ranging from mild redness to severe inflammation, and possibly bleeding. The cause may be food, both the mother’s (acidic fruits or vegetables), and the baby’s. However, it may also be a fungal disease (sharply defined, raised redness and scaling) or a bacterial infection. The redness can usually be quickly eliminated by frequent diaper changes and care with a zinc ointment. Alternatively, St. John’s wort oil or oak bark decoction (from the pharmacy) or breast milk dabbed thinly onto the reddened areas will help. If this treatment does not lead to an improvement after a few days, you should consult a doctor. It is helpful to dry the bottom with a not too hot hair dryer after bathing and to let the baby kick with bare bottom as often as possible.
What to do for constipation?
Some babies have bowel movements every day, others only once a week. It is constipation only when less than once a week is defecated in hard chunks and the baby has to make a great effort to push. This rarely occurs in breastfed infants because their stools tend to be soft and mushy. It may be due to a lack of fluids and the baby needs to drink more. In some babies, the cause is a tear in the anal mucosa that causes the baby to withhold stool for fear of pain.
What to do for teething pain?
When babies are teething (usually between the fifth and eighth month), it is not uncommon for this to be a time of particular tension and anxiety, when the child needs a lot of tenderness. This is because the erupting little teeth create a feeling of tension, can tickle, burn or even really hurt (if the overlying gums are already swollen). The first teeth usually announce themselves with weepiness, increased salivation, and rarely with fever or diarrhea. Pressure and cooling, e.g. by means of a teething ring or spoon cooled (in the refrigerator, not the icebox), are particularly helpful against the feeling of tension. But also food (apples, carrots, bread edges) on which the child can bite are suitable. Homeopathic pellets (e.g. Globuli Chamomilla D30) or special teething gels, sage tea or diluted sage tincture (tastes bitter, though) have proven to be good. Some parents swear by violet roots (from the pharmacy). If your child cries from pain, you can also give him pain suppositories from the pharmacy.
