1. Caring of Your Baby
Swaddling
Swaddlingyourbabyhelpsyourbabyfeel warmandsecure like inthe womb.Laythe blanketina diamondshape.Fold
the top pointinwards.Layyour babydownon itsback on the blanketwithhisheadjusta bitabove the foldedpoint.
Take one of the side pointsacrossthe baby’schestand tuck it underhisthighs.Bringthe bottompointoverthe baby’s
feet.Andfollow throughwiththe lastpointof the blanketacrossthe baby’schestandtuck italsounderthe opposite
thigh.
Dressingyour baby
Avoiddisposable diapersasmuchas possible.Use themonlyforoutings.Use clothdiapersathome tothe greatest
extentpossible.Washall clothes,blanketsandlinensbeforeusingthemthe firsttime.Andalwaysuse amilddetergent
to protectyour childfromskin-allergiesandrashes.
Whenselectingclothesforyourbaby,realize thattheywill be repeatedlysoiledandhave toundergomanywashes.
Checkfor sturdyzippersandwell-stitchedseams.The insideseamsshouldbe softandnotrough and itchy.
Bunch upshirtsbefore pullingthemoveryourbaby’shead.Lookforshirtswithside orfront openings,shoulderbuttons
and stretchable necklines.Clothesshouldbe comfortable andloose.Purchaseafew inexpensive anddurable clothesfor
sizes0—3 monthsas babieswill outgrow themveryquickly.
Infantslose heatrapidlyfromtheiruncoveredheads.Itisimportanttocoverthe headwitha cap and alsofeetwith
sockswhenoutside,andalsoonchillydays.Dressyourbabyasyou wouldyourself.Withjustone e xtralayerwhenyour
babyis younger.Avoidexposingthemtocoldor chill orhumidityorheatfor longperiods.Donotoverdressthemasthis
woulddehydrate orgive heatrashes.
Dental Hygiene
Afterthe firsttootherupts,payextracare to dental hygiene.Familyhistoryof gumproblemsandcavitiesshouldbe
alwayskeptinmind.Schedule avisitforthe babybetween6—12monthsof age andthenfollow upregularly.Donot
allowthe childtogo to bedwitha bottle containinganythingotherthanwater.The babyshouldbe removedfromyour
breastwhendone feeding.Checkwithdentistonwhattoothpastescanbe used
Crying
Cryingisyour baby’swayto communicate awhole range of needsandresponses.Itisalsoa way to relievetensionand
stress.Sometimesgoingtoa quietplace reallyhelps.
Hunger,inthe earlydaysandweeksof life isthe mostprominentreasonsforcrying.Wetdiapersare anotherbigcause
as theymake your babyveryuncomfortable.Disposable diapersfeel heavyandwarmwhenwet.Illnesscanbe another
reasonfor crying.If a baby iscrying toomuch, contact yourpediatrician.Gascan be yetanotherreason.Newbornsneed
to be burpedoften.Rubyourbaby’sback gentlyormove your baby’slegsbackand forthtowardsthe chestin a cycl ic
motiontorelieve gaspains.
It mightgetfrustratingor angeryou tryingto constantlycomfortyourbabyif he is fussyor notrespondingtoyour
efforts.Itiscompletelyalrighttobe frustratedorangry and youneedn’tbe hardon yourself.Getsomeonetohelpif
possible.
Nevershake ababy or throwthemup intothe air. The rapidmovementcausesseverewhiplashesaroundthe spinal
column,neckor head.The youngerthe child,the more seriousthe danger.Avoidraisingyourhandonchildrenof any
age inany wayand learnto control yourtemperandstressand release itina more mature way.
Colic
Babieswithcoliccry frequentlyandmaytwisttheirface inpain,and draw theirkneesupto the abdomenandpassgas.
Theyusuallyfeedwell andgainweightnormally,butsoothingcolickybabiesisdifficult.Checkwiththe pediatricianto

2. rule outany issues.Cuddle yourbaby,gentlyrockor place yourbaby onyour kneestotry and soothe.Warmwater
bottlesonthe abdomenalsohelptoan extent.Afterfeedingyourbaby,carryhimaround onyour shoulderandgently
rub hisback to relieve anygas.
Bathing your Baby
Babiesneedn’tbe bathedeveryday;everyalternatedayworksjustfine.Use asponge to gentlybathe the face,hands
and genitalseveryday.Neverleaveyourbabyalone whilebathinghim.Use amildsoapalwaysandthat the bathwateris
lukewarmandnevertoohot.A wayof testingistodipyour little fingertocheckthe heat.
Diaperingyour Baby
A majordecisionparentsface isdecidingwhichdiapertouse.Clothanddisposablediapersbothhave theiradvantages
and disadvantages.Availabilityof time,concernsaboutenvironmentandcostsdeterminechoices.A combinationof
clothand disposableshasbeenfoundviable byseveralparents.Change diapersaftereverybowelmovementorif the
diapersare wetto preventrashes.Use plainwaterto cleanyour baby’sbottom.Use disposable orcommercial diapers
onlyforlongoutingsbecause theyusuallycontainchemicalsandalcohol.The elasticaroundthe legsandwaistalso
irritatesyourbaby’sskin.Fromtime totime letyourbaby go withoutdiaper
Postpartum Adjustments
Mothersneedgoodamountof restafterdelivery.Andthose whohave undergone C-sectionsneedevenmore recovery
time.Parentsneedtogoan extramile torendersupportto eachother intheirnew roles.
The biggestchange that comesoveristhe relationshipbetweenspouses.Asparentsyoualsoneedtospendtime away
fromthe babyand witheachotherto understandyourself andrelax.Dividedutiesbetweenyourself anddon’tplace the
entire onusonjustthe mother.Take time out withyourpartner,enjoyaneveningoutfora few hourswithfriends,call
relativesoveretc.
Sexualityand GenderRoles
For women,sexualityandgenderplacesmultiplerolesandresponsibilitiesaccordingtothe societyaswell astheirown
aspirationsanddreams.Avoidrolesdictatedtoyouby the mediaandsocietyandcreate a balance that benefitsyouas
well yourfamily.Donottry to be perfector be hard on yourself.Smallcompromiseshereandthere are completelyfine.
A fatherneedstopresent asmuch forhiswife asfor hisbaby.Parentingisa combinedrole.Neverjustamother’sjob.
Sexand Post-partumchanges
Many couplesgetworriedabouttheirsexual relationshipandwhetheritwill everbe the same againaftera baby’sbirth.
Restassuredthat itwill once a mother’sbasichealingprocessiscomplete.Vaginal dischargestopsusuallythree tofour
weeksafterbirthandstitchesif anywill usuallydissolve inthistime frame too.Sexual intercoursemaybe resumedafter
thisperiodbutdo understandandgrantyourself the leewaythatsex mightbe uncomfortablethe firstfewtimes.Use
formsof birthcontrol to preventbecomingpregnantrightaway.Yourvaginawill be dryand tenderbecause of low
estrogenlevels,youwill be fatiguedandthe babymightprovide distractionoften.Tryusingawatersoluble lubricant,
contraceptive creamforbreastfeedingmotherstohelpanydrynessof the vaginaduringintercourse.If youare still
breastfeeding,yourbreastsmaytendtoleakduringintercourse.Youmaygeta special bralinedwithbreastpads.