Some infant care questions from a 40week pregnant new mom?

Question

1. How to give your newborn a sponge bath? I mean, can I use a waschcloth? Do I start out with a damp one with soap, then a damp one with water? I've never given one but know you have to until the umbilical cord falls off.

2. If you put diaper rash ointment on every diaper change to prevent diaper rash, do you put it on the boys penis too? Or just the butt?

3. I live in a very warm climate. Can I dress him in just a onsie (day and night in summer) I will change the onsie at night.

4. Can I wash our clothes together if use Dreft? Or should it still be seperate even though I am using the baby detergent?

5. When can he hold up his head on his own? Should I wait until then to place him on his tummy for supervised tummy time? (NO I wouldn't leave him alone like that or let him sleep that way, I mean for strengthening the muscles)

6. About how many months did your size N or 1 pampers last you? How many/day?



These questions aren't ever addressed in magazines!

A big thank you to all the great answers. Thank you for taking the time to answer all my questions! They are very helpful.

Oh fyi the ac isn't on at night because it doesn't reach my room anyway, so my room is hot, yuck

Answer 1

1. Yes, that is how you do it. I like to wrap the baby in a towel and then do part by part so that the baby doesn't get cold.

2. I think it is a good idea to use ointment every change to avoid getting a bad rash. I also think it is good to avoid the wipes, in the beginning at least, because they can irritate the baby skin. I usually use cotton with water and then pat dry the area. For messy diapers I wash with baby soap.

3. They say the baby should wear a layer more than you. But if you don't have ac at home and it is hot than I believe just an onsie should be fine. Be ready to change clothes often because babies tend to get their clothes dirty frequently by spiting up, leaking diapers, etc.

4.Yes you can. But do not use fabric softener.

5. You can put the baby on his tummy even before he is able to hold his head, this will help him. But he probably won't like and take it for a very short time in the beginning and yes, you should stay by his side.

6. All depends on the size of your baby.

These might be helpful:
http://www.webmd.com/baby/babys-diaper-rash
http://www.ehow.com/how_2516_give-baby-sponge.html

Answer 2

You'll find out in a hurry what is going to work for you, and I'm sure it's very different for everyone. Here's a few ideas from how I did things with my son....
1. I put a towel down on the kitchen table to lay him on. Then I partially wrapped his body in another- I washed sections while I kept the rest of him warm. I had a small bucket of clean warm water to rinse and I started with just a little baby soap on a wet wash cloth.
2. I wouldn't use diaper ointment unless he has a rash. A little vasoline wouldn't hurt if you feel the need to use something, but just on the bum.
3. A onesie is probably fine during the day. He may want to be swaddled for comfort, so a thin, breathable blanket would be OK with just a diaper if it's really hot (if you have A/C, I'd dress him a bit warmer than that)
4. Dreft is great, but it's a bit more expensive than our detergent, I always washed his clothes separately.
5. He probably won't hold his head up very well until he's about 2, 3 or 4 weeks old, but he'll sure try, and tummy time is great from day one on a firm surface and with you right beside him.
6. Newborn diapers didn't last us more than about a month- I think until about 8 or 9 pounds (if you have a big baby, he may never even wear them). Size one lasted a few months- I would plan on at least 10 diapers per day at first (remember you'll be changing with each feeding and they eat about every 2-3 hours).

They're so much fun and they grow so fast. Don't worry about all the small details and forget to enjoy him- it'll all come to you once he's here!

Answer 3

1. I gave my daughter a bath the 2nd day she was home. I had a baby bath tub and filled it up just a little bit and then washed all around the umbilical cord, making sure not to get it wet.
2. I have a girl, but I assume if there is a rash on the penis, but it there also. I don't put ointment on there every diaper change either, unless it starts to look a little red. But I did find some ointent that is amazing! It is called Boudreaux's Butt Paste. It is a little expensive, but it works better than anything else.
3. I dress my daughter in a onsie often since it is hot here.
4. I wash all of my daughters clothes with mine because I use a detergent that is free of colors, and dyes.
5. My baby is 2 months old and I put her on her tummy to sleep because of reflux, and she seems fine when she lays on it to play.
6. I had newborn diapers for 6 weeks, and she is just now good into the 1s. It just depends on the size of your baby.

Answer 4

My best suggestion for you is to ask your doctor or your own mom or some of your girlfriends.

But here are my suggestions
1.I'll answer this one tomorrow, the lady that I am the nanny for does everything all natural, it recommends some type of baby body wash that is almond I think. She would reccommend that instead of soap.

2.Yes if you use diaper rash ointment it it is best to put in all areas that may get sore due to wetness including the penis as well as the butt. You don't have to use an ointment everytime though. We someitmes use baby powder too.

3. Yes, you can dress him up in just a onsie, just as long as he is warm enough, but remember it is kind fun having him dressed up in other different outfits. Don't forget a hat for the first few months. You should probably have him wrapped in a light blankie like a receiving balnket.

4. We have always washed the infants clothes together it does not seem to make a difference. Just remember to pretreat any stains.

5.Each baby matures differently they start a little bit at about one month old, by the time are six moths old they should be able to hold it up completely....I found this article on the web that might help you its a little more specific.....

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/baby/babydevelopment/6579.html

6. That depends on how tiny your baby is. Some babies when they are born are to big for the newborn diapers. The baby needs to be changed typically a little after each feeding (what goes in must come out !:) ) So it depends and it will be fewer diapers as the baby gets older.
A package of 48 lasted a month old just about 2 weeks, if that helps.

Answer 5

1. A sponge bath is fine! Use a liquid baby bath soap, like Johnson & Johnson's, and be sure to rinse and apply lotion to prevent dry skin.

2. I don't think ointment is necessary unless there is a rash. Just be sure to check the diapers frequently so a rash doesn't happen (or get so severe, because rashes WILL happen!).

3. Dress him in as many layers as it takes for you to be comfortable. Remember that babies can't maintain their body heat as efficiently as adults can, so perhaps some light-weight pajamas would be a good thing, especially if you have air conditioning.

4. I washed our clothes separate because I liked the scent and feel of my regular detergent and fabric softener for my own clothes. You will always have dirty baby clothes/sheets/blankets, so will likely not have to wash a half-load often.

5. The first few weeks will be spent sleeping and eating (with a little bit of awake time), and you don't need to worry about exercising him just yet. Take your cues from him. You'll be able to tell when he is itching to start moving around on his own. Also, don't make him "stand up" or hold any weight on his legs while he's a newborn. Their legs aren't strong enough, and in some instances it can cause problems for their growing bones.

6. My son was huge, but my daughter was small. It depends on the baby's weight. The diaper packages give a weight range, so go by that. If I remember right, about a month.

You sound like you're doing great! Congratulations in advance, and I'm sure you'll do well with your new son! Enjoy this time - they grow in a flash!

Answer 6

1. Yes you can use the washcloth and you can do soap first then rinse off by a clean wet washcloth. Until the cord falls off it is best to just wash down with a washcloth making sure not to get the cord wet. It won't take long for the cord to fall off.

2. Don't put ointment on every change, it isn't a preventative kinda of thing but instead for when there are signs of an actual rash. The body can get use to it and then it won't help with an actual rash. Also note that most rashes are actually yeast infections and can't be helped with diaper rash ointment but instead the same stuff we use for yeast infections or guys use for jock itch. You put the ointment over the rash where ever it is and yes it can spread to the penis.

3. Yes onsies are a wonderful thing. My first son was born in the summer and he couldn't handle having clothes on and the Dr said that onsies are great for hot weather just change it if it gets wet (with formula,milk, sweat....). I even used mostly onsies for the first 3 months with my winter baby because we rarely left the house and the heat in the apartment made him hot and he hated the clothes.

4. You can wash the clothes together just don't wash your towels, bras or underware with you babies clothes or washclothes with the baby's clothes.

5. The supervised tummytime is what helps strengthen their necks to increase the holding up of the head. From day 1 you can do supervised tummytime for short periods of time. you may also notice even within a couple of days that while you are holding your baby he will try to lift his head.

6. For me I used the Newborn diapers for less than a month just because they were so expensive and not necessary after the cord was gone. The size 1 worked for I think up to 3 months on my boys then they started getting to a leaky point so I moved up to a size 2. It depends on if you have a skinny baby or a chubby baby. Also depends on the brand since brands sizes vary a little.

Answer 7

1. What I did was get all my supplies together first: the small wash cloth, a little bowl of warm watter, mild baby soap, a towel and whatever else you choose to use. Then, I'd turn off the AC and the fan. I'd lie my daughter on the bed and undress her. Then, just add a SMALL drop of soap to the water (or not), and wet your wash cloth. Wring it out very well so that it's barely wet. Then, start from the bottom and work your way up. Wipe between her toes, her feet, up her little legs, etc. As you move up, keep the part you just washed dry and warm by covering her with a towel.
I chose to use my bed because it's much easier and much safer than using a sink or changing table.

2. I don't have a boy, but I'd assume putting a little on his penis too since it is exposed to urine.

3. I leave my 7 month old in a onesie for most of the day. We live in Florida, and it's entirely too hot to be wearing cutesie baby clothes. At night, however, you might want to dress him in a footed sleeper since it's unsafe to put blankets on him. That will keep him warm without blankets.

4. I would wash them separately for a while. Your clothes have been washed in regular detergent before, so you never know what will irritate a newborns skin.

5. It takes a few months before they can hold their heads up alone. Wait until then before placing him on his stomach because, otherwise, he'll just be face down on the carpet/blanket/bed, which can be unsafe. When he starts to develop a little more neck control (2-3 months), you can place him on his stomach in order to encourage neck muscle development, but I wouldn't do it before then.

6. Lol, my daughter was 8 lbs when she was born, so they lasted about 2 weeks. Maybe less. They grow SO quickly in the first month that buying more than a pack or 2 of newborn diapers will be a waste.


GOOD LUCK!

Answer 8

1. Yes you can use a washcloth, you just can't submerge the baby in water and avoid getting the cord wet.
2. You put it on the butt when they have diaper rash. You could try powder to help prevent it.
3. Newborns like to be swadled, it makes them feel safe. If it is very hot you can put him in a onsie.
4. You can wash them together using either drift or another dye free detergent. If the clothes are really soiled then I wouldn't.
5. At a couple of months he should be able to have some tummy time. Each baby is different and is ready at a different ime.
6. They don't last long.

Answer 9

I didn't bathe my son at all until after the cord fell off, but a baby wipe or damp wascloth is good.

Only use diaper ointment if there is a problem. Put it wherever the rash is.

Diaper-only is fine too!

I don't use any laundry detergent on baby clothes. I pre-treat any milk and poo stain with Spray & Wash.

Tummy time is OK, but on a firm surface. Turn his head to the side and supervise. My son had lots of tummy time from day 1. He rolled over at 12 days old!

My son was 7lb 2 oz. He is about 3 mo old now and still in size 1. We're goin on 200 diapers now. About 6 per day.

Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care is really great. I read it while I was pregnant (got it from the library) and bought a copy today at a thrift sale.

Answer 10

1. Bathing. They will show you how to do this at the hospital. You can use a washcloth. We used two washcloths and a basin of clean water or set up on the counter next to a sink for fresh water for rinsing. Start at the head and work down, from cleanest to dirtiest, in order to keep the rags clean. You actually do not need to bathe baby very often at first. Maybe every 3-4 days. Do the diaper area last, but make sure you get all the creases. For an uncircumcised boy, do NOT retract the foreskin. It is attached to the head of his penis in order to protect it and would be damaged by forceful retraction. Use an alcohol wipe on his umbilical cord.

2. Diaper Ointment. I've only used diaper ointment at the first sign of redness, not for every change. I also prefer the Gold Bond medicated baby powder over all of the ointments... it has worked a LOT better than ointments and also keeps things from overheating, and it lubricates too. Ointment, I just put on the but unless he was red under his penis. For the powder though, you can apply it pretty generously around the penis and testicles, around the butt, etc. Great stuff. Highly recommend it.

3. Clothes. The typical rule of thumb is to dress him in whatever you are comfortable in, plus a this cover layer (like a receiving blanket). He will also need hats more often than you would, especially if he doesn't have hair. You can definitely dress him in a onesie if you would also be comfortable in as little clothing. I actually do not put any clothes on my son at night on hot summer nights. If it gets chilly though, you should definitely have something to warm him, like a Sleep Sack or other clothes.

4. Detergent. Yes, but it will be expensive to use Dreft on all of your clothes. We never use any special detergent because we think it's silly to spend so much money when a lot of those baby-specific brands are even problematic because of the scents and other things they put in them. We just use a simple detergent without bleach and we've not had any problems at all.

5. Tummy time. My son is four months and he's been able to hold his head up pretty well for about 2 1/2 months now. All babies are different though. You can place him on his tummy before he can hold up his head unassisted, however, because it will give him reason to hold up his head and it will strengthen his muscles. It will also help motivate him to learn to roll over. We have a Boppy pillow that we've used to tummy time, and it works very well because it can prop him up enough that his face isn't pressed into the floor or blankets of wherever he is.

6. Diapers. Not long... a few weeks maybe. You'll average about 12/day at first. My son is now four months and he's already in size 3 diapers and he goes through about 6-8 per day now. Newborns go through a LOT more than even 1-month olds. You'll also go through a lot as you learn your baby's pooping habits. It's pretty common to go through 3-5 diapers in one change because baby will poop again as soon as you get the old diaper off. You'll want to get a package of Newborn diapers and a package of size 1 diapers. If your baby is big, the newborn size may not fit at all and you'd hate to make a stop at the store on your way home from the hospital.

Don't forget to ask about breastfeeding!

Good luck and happy birth wishes to you!