BRINGING HOME BABY

How a newborn looks Newborns have their own distinct appearance. To parents a newborn looks beautiful. Others may think older babies are cuter. At birth a baby’s skin is blotchy and wrinkled Head maybe misshaped Ears are pressed to their head Eyebrows and Eyelashes can barely be seen Cheeks are fat Noses can appear flattened -- Fontanel- Soft spot on top of head All these characteristics will take a few weeks to develop after the birth.

A newborns head seems to be oversized to the rest of its body. The head accounts to ¼th of the babies total length. Humans head is 1/7 of their total height Their neck is short with very weak muscles Very important to always support their head Heartbeat is twice as fast as a normal adult A normal weight of a newborn is 7 to 7 ½ lbs Boys are often longer and heavier then girls

What the Newborn Can See All babies are born with light colored eyes Eyes are not exposed to light If baby is inherited with dark colored eyes, in weeks to come this will change Eye muscles are not formed May look cross eyed The eyes are very sensitive to light They prefer patterns to plain colors Slow movement with bright colors At the age of 3 weeks, the human face is what babies most like to see

What can they Hear? Hearing develops before birth A fetus responds to loud noises while still in the womb They will respond more to a woman’s voice then men High pitched sounds (parents talking)

What can they Smell and Taste? A baby soon learns to recognize their mother by her smell Babies can recognize unpleasant odors in the air. Crying when diapers are full A mother’s eating habits can affect the babies nutritional value Medications Nursing mothers need 500 more calories per day Newborns need to eat 8 to 10 times per day 20-30 minutes per feeding

If needed, bottles must be boiled at all times. NEVER microwave bottles, creates hot spots due to uneven heating Never leave a baby alone during feeding May choke Always discard unused formula due to bacteria Self demand feeding Parents feed the baby when its hungry

What can they Feel? They can sense changes in temperature at birth Dislike cold (Crying when undressed) First days after birth, they can feel pain Physical contact will strengthen emotional bond between parents and baby

5 Newborn Reflexes Rooting When a baby’s cheeks or mouth is touched, the baby turns towards the touch and begins “rooting” to find food. Grasping Improves baby’s strength Babinski Reflex when the outside of the baby’s sole is stroked, toes will extend Moro or Startle Baby’s position changes quickly Stepping The baby is held in an upright position and the baby’s feet hit a hard surface, the baby raises the foot.

Grasping Babinski Stepping Rooting Moro or Startle

How Parents Care for their Newborns Patience is the #1 key Newborns like to be held Safe and secure Feeling of Love Talking (intellectual and emotional development) Holding neck Can be severely injured

Sleeping Habits Newborns spend 18-20 hours a day sleeping Longest sleep period is 5 hours All babies are different By 5 months babies sleep though the night Keep babies away from drafts while sleeping Do not have to tip toe around Adapt to household noises

SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome A condition in which a infant dies suddenly in his or her sleep without warning Major cause of death is between 2 weeks and 2 months It is not caused by anything the parents did or did not do Parents who smoke are in greater risk Infants who sleep on their stomachs Infants should always sleep on their backs Never use pillows Blankets should never exceed shoulders (smothering)

Colic Severe and intermittent abdominal pain Gas Upright position against the parents body Shouldn’t last more then 3 months

Shaken Baby Syndrome Never shake a baby This could happen because of anger and frustration of the parents This can happen to infants up to 3 years of age. Injuries if baby is shaken: Brain damage, Blindness, Paralysis, Mental retardation, Delayed development, Even death

Early Childhood Development 3 Months Turn towards light, lifts head, smiles, makes sound, wiggles legs and arms, recognizes the bottle, responds to noise, grasps toys 6 Months Hear voices, Reaches for toys, Rolls over, Plays with toes, Holds bottle, Knows care giver, Babbles, Sits by leaning 9 Month Copies sounds and gestures, Reaches for small objects, Move toys from one hand to the other, Sit unassisted, Support self

12 Months Knows name, Scared of strangers, Plays hide and seek, Crawls on hands and knees, Standing position, Walks by holding on, Drinks from cup, Plays peek-a-boo, Says words 15 Months Gestures, Looks at pictures, Holds crayons, Gives toys to you, Identifies pictures, Walks 18 Months -Pulls and pushes, Follows direction, Pulls off socks, Feeds self, Step off low objects, Points to body parts, Copies words and actions