Newborns are fragile, innocent, and completely dependent on an adult to meet his or her young needs. The needs of a newborn baby are very basic, and while work is involved, a routine can easily be created to meet those needs quickly and easily – making for a very happy little one. Newborns cannot talk, of course, so in order to get help with their basic functions they have to alert you by different types of cries. As the parent of your baby, you will quickly learn which cries mean what and how to tend to your new child’s needs. Don’t worry about how quickly you will get it, every person will pick it up quickly enough.
One of the most important things to know about your newborn baby is how to hold him or her. Always support your baby’s head and neck when you carry your little one, as he does not have the strength in his neck to hold his head up on his own. Your new child’s bones are fragile, and it is important to hold your infant where he is supported in order to prevent injuries. If you notice, most seats designed for infants have head supports built in that you can easily remove as your infant becomes older.
Most pediatricians will tell you that your new baby should sleep in his or her own bed. This is important to prevent accidental suffocation at night from being wrapped too snuggly in the covers or from even falling off of the bed between the mattress and the wall. This is a very sad fate for someone’s beloved child, so do be careful and make sure that your newborn sleeps in his or her own crib or bassinet. It is much better for your baby if you are to get up in the middle of the night to tend to his or her needs versus having to suffer the harsh realities of losing your little one so young.
Remember that your baby cannot talk and that he or she must tell you what his or her needs are through different pitches of crying. As you tend to your newborn, you will quickly learn what the changes in his or her cries mean, and you will quickly be able to give your infant exactly what is needed. It takes some hard work to raise your little one in a healthy and happy way, but it is well worth the benefit of raising a healthy and happy child in the end.