Womb to Bloom - Maternity & Beyond

Congratulations! You are a new dad - and you really want to do things right! We can help you soothe and care for your new baby. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals of baby care, everything gets easier. If you are unsure about how to give your baby a bottle, or soothe its crying, we have some tips that will help you feel more secure as you look after the baby. 

Go For A Drive: You probably love your car, anyway: you may be surprised to learn that little babies are soothed by the motion and sound of your vehicle! Whether you have a son or daughter makes no difference – just familiarize yourself with proper car seat installation, and make sure the baby is warm, dry and fed before turning the ignition.

Buy a Baby Carrier: Babies feel safe and secure when being held, so invest in a baby carrier and walk – anywhere. Baby carriers come in all different styles and colors – find something that isn’t too flowery or pastel, and you’ll be comfortable going out in public with it on!

Feeding Your Newborn: If you are bottle-feeding your baby, there are a lot of things you should know. You must prepare the formula according to the package instructions, if your wife is not breastfeeding. You must also be sure you have sterilized the bottles properly.

Here are some tips on sterilizing bottles for a newborn:

• You must wash the bottle, nipple and accessories with hot soap and water before sterilizing.
• You must boil all parts of the baby’s bottle for five minutes to ensure they are safe for the baby.

If you are preparing formula, check all expiry dates and never give your baby anything that is past the sell-by date. You should avoid using the microwave to prepare food for your child: “hot spots” in the formula will burn your baby. Instead, prepare the formula as the instructions say, and hold your child with its head elevated above their tummy: it lessens gas in the tummy during feeding.

Be sure you test the temperature of formula on your wrist before feeding the baby. They cannot handle the same temperatures as adults do, and the fragile skin on your wrist will be a good way to gauge how hot the liquid will seem to your newborn.

Burping: You must burp your baby frequently when feeding it from a bottle: babies take in a lot of air as well as formula, and they need to expel it. Sit your newborn upright, cradling its head and shoulders, and pat the baby’s back as gently as possible until you hear it burp. You should burp a baby 2-3 times during a regular feeding.

Be Patient: There will be good and bad days with a newborn, no matter what. You need to keep perspective, and avoid getting frustrated when things don’t go smoothly. Sometimes a baby will seem impossible to comfort, but just keep trying, and never give in to anger or irritation.

If you need a break from caring for the baby, because you feel tired or at your wit’s end, unable to soothe the child, call up your partner, if she is out, and tell her what you are going through. It’s not a sign of weakness to reach out when struggling with a fretful baby – it’s a sign of wisdom.