The first days after the maternity hospital care. Newborn baby: the first days of life at home after the hospital

Your baby was recently born, and now you are being discharged from the hospital. Now there will be no doctors and nurses around the clock. Who do you ask for advice and inquire about the health of your baby? Who and how will watch the baby now?

On discharge

In the case of uncomplicated spontaneous childbirth, you and your child will be discharged from the hospital on the 4-5th day, even if the day of discharge falls on the weekend. With a cesarean section, they are discharged a little later - in a period of 7 to 10 days. Before you are discharged, a neonatologist will come to you and tell you how to care for your baby at home. The pediatric nurse will swaddle and dress the toddler in discharged clothes or an envelope.

The doctor will provide you with a set of documents - this is a certificate for the registry office, as well as a discharge summary for the baby for transferring him to the children's clinic (at the place of residence or a private clinic). This is necessary so that the doctors who will observe the baby in the future know the peculiarities of his health at birth, take into account the procedures and vaccinations performed with him (if any).

In the discharge summary, the exact time and method of birth of the baby, the Apgar score, the early postpartum period, the processing of the umbilical cord and other data are noted. In addition, they will note the result of the general and the fact of taking blood for congenital diseases - hypothyroidism, and galactosemia.

When you go home, data about you and your baby will be sent by phone to the clinic and the registry office at your place of residence - you yourself will indicate it when you are discharged. The next day, even if it is Saturday or Sunday, the pediatrician on duty from the clinic or your local pediatrician will come to your home.

Important note: you are not required to be monitored at the local polyclinic - you can choose a private clinic or a family doctor and use their services.

Contacts with the children's clinic

Do not think that something is wrong with the baby. Patronage is a system of measures for the prevention of diseases in children, the doctor goes to visit you and notice in time if problems suddenly arise. The pediatrician can also answer your questions and help with advice - because if this is your first baby, you still know little about caring for him.

Prepare documents for the arrival of the pediatrician - the discharge report of the baby, (third spine). If you have questions, write them down on a piece of paper so you don't forget anything.

Specify the address of the children's clinic. The doctor must give you the reception phone number to call the doctor at home, as well as provide the opening hours of his site, tell you when the days are healthy for the child and the reception of sick children.

If this is a municipal clinic doctor, he is not obliged to give you his personal cell phone, although he may well do this on his own initiative. If this is a pediatrician from a private clinic, then the possibility of additional telephone consultations and home calls on a personal cell phone is discussed in the contract that you conclude with the medical institution.

Prepare a place where the doctor will examine your baby. It should be light, warm, and hygiene products should be at hand. The doctor will completely undress the child, remove and process the umbilical wound. Be prepared to change or change your baby later.

Usually, doctors do not take off their shoes when visiting patients, therefore, in order to avoid misunderstandings, prepare disposable shoe covers for the arrival of the pediatrician. Many parents buy a whole set - gloves, shoe covers and disposable spatulas for examining the crumbs' mouth.

First patronage

Upon arrival, the doctor, having previously washed his hands and warmed them, will carefully examine the baby. He will undress him completely, turn him over on his back and tummy, at the same time asking you about childbirth and breastfeeding, about your complaints about the health and well-being of the baby, about how often the baby has stool and urination. If possible, keep one of the stool diapers before the pediatrician arrives - this is important diagnostic information.

The doctor examines the legs and arms of the crumbs, probes the seams on the head, then probes the chest and tummy, brings the legs to the stomach and puts the crumbs on the stomach, evaluates his behavior and reflexes.

After the examination, the pediatrician will ask you to treat the umbilical wound with it or will do it himself to assess the condition of the wound and the degree of its healing. Now is the time to ask the accumulated questions, clarify incomprehensible points and consult. And the doctor will also warn you about the next visits - you will take turns, 1-2 times a week, a visiting nurse or doctor will come. If the child requires observation for health reasons, then their visits may be more frequent.

If something bothers you

In the normal course of the postpartum period, you will be at home all month, and at the end of it you will come to an appointment with a pediatrician at the clinic. But if something bothers you, the doctor can refer you to narrow specialists earlier, or you can additionally call him at home by calling the registry. If the child has a fever, diarrhea, or shortness of breath, do not hesitate - call an ambulance or go to the doctor for a consultation.

Left behind all the excitement associated with childbirth, congratulations on the newborn, a noisy discharge from the hospital, and you are finally left alone with your new family member ... And it was here that many new parents are overcome by a real panic: what to do with him? How do I put it? How to wrap it up?

It is good if there are caring grandmothers or relatives who are experienced in these matters nearby, but more often the young parents have to figure it out themselves.

As a rule, even in the maternity hospital, a young mother is given a small master class on childcare: how to swaddle, how to bathe, how to feed, how to take care of. However, not every young mother remembers everything at once. It takes practice.

So, first of all, you need to get rid of panic and only with pleasant emotions begin to fulfill the honorary duties of parents. The most important thing is to follow the basic procedures, which we will talk about further.

We woke up

Every morning, the baby should start with the morning toilet. Prepare warm boiled water, cotton wool and cotton pads in advance.

Soak a cotton pad in some water, squeeze it slightly and wipe the child's face. Then wet a couple more cotton pads and “wash” the baby's eyes with them. Often in the first days of his life, the baby's eyes can water, then it is better to wash with chamomile infusion or furacilin solution. In this case, you need to wipe the eye from the outer corner of the eye to the inner one.

Next, we move on to cleaning the spout. In this situation, cotton swabs are completely unsuitable: the baby can jerk sharply, and the stick will damage the delicate mucous membrane. For this procedure, it is better to make turundochki from cotton pads: cut the disc in half, and then break each half into two more parts. Twist each piece into a tourniquet, soak it in boiled water and gently clean the baby's nose.

After the "water procedures", the time for morning exercises comes. It is better to do it on a hard surface. The ideal option in this case is a changing table. Carefully, without sudden movements, unbend and bend the baby's arms, spread them to the sides. Legs can do the exercise "bicycle", you can slightly press them to the tummy, while bending at the knees. By the way, the last exercise is very effective for colic, which often torments children in the first months of life.

During the day…

During the day, it is often necessary to wash the crumbs. This is done under the tap. At the same time, one should not forget that boys are washed away with their backs up, and girls - with their backs down. This is done in order not to infect the genital tract.

The need to wash the baby with soap and water arises only after stool; doing this with each diaper change is not only not necessary, but also not desirable. Contact with water and soap for a baby's delicate skin can disrupt the natural balance and cause irritation and, consequently, anxiety for the baby.

Special wet wipes without alcohol can be used for normal diaper changes.

Before bedtime

After daily evening bathing, it is imperative to treat the umbilical wound until it is completely healed.

Dip a cotton swab in hydrogen peroxide and treat the wound. Then, lightly wipe the navel with a dry cotton swab and gently apply brilliant green to the wound.

Immediately before the procedure, carefully examine the navel: redness and swelling around it is a reason to see a doctor.

Place the naked baby on a hard surface. First, do the "stretching", slightly stretching the arms and legs. Then massage the baby's arms lightly, from the wrist to the shoulder. Then stroke your baby's neck and chest.

The legs are massaged in turn, starting with the feet and toes. Finally, turn the baby over onto its tummy and stroke the back, starting from the tailbone and ending with the back of the head.

The first day after the hospital alone with the baby is often very difficult for the parents. What to do with this little tiny man? How do you even take it so as not to break something?

In fact, everything is not difficult at all. In any case, experience is needed. It is much easier for those young mothers who were in the hospital with their baby, during this time (4–5 days) you can learn a lot. Therefore, do not hesitate to pester the midwives with questions. This will make you feel much more confident at home.

A newborn baby doesn't need so much. Yes, he still does not know how to do anything on his own, he needs your help in everything, but this help is quite feasible, if everything is organized correctly. A child after a maternity hospital - what does he need? So let's get started.

Caring for a newborn baby in the early days

In the first days and months of life, it is very important for the baby to be in the arms of the mother as much as possible. But many people are afraid to take the baby, as if he might break it. Here's how to do it right:

Then the baby needs to change. Sometimes you have to do this many times a day, and the sooner you learn the tricks swaddling , the easier it will be.

In addition to the traditional means - diapers, immediately after the birth of the baby, you can also put on clothes for newborns. It can be a vest, bodysuit or romper.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v1YApVjmcGY

Even if you decide to use only the most advanced disposable diapers, contact of the baby's skin with urine is inevitable. So, you need to think about preventing diaper rash .

Many babies have very long nails from birth. And since they swing their arms without purpose and need, these sharp claws like to leave marks on the delicate skin of the face. At the very beginning, you can put scratches on the child's handles, but soon you will have to master the technique
nail clipping :

A feature of newborns that other children do not have is umbilical wound ... Sometimes it happens that from carelessly caring for her, an infection appears and the child may even get sick. Therefore, it is very important to handle it correctly.

Even for those babies who were born absolutely healthy, a first-aid kit is needed for the first time. It will include both navel care products and some others just in case.

Already in the first days after discharge from the hospital, even if it is raining outside, it is necessary with the baby walk ... Start with short outings of 20-30 minutes, or twice a day.

In the evening, after sunset, the baby could be bathed. Although newborns don't yet run around the back streets of your yard and collect all the dust from under the bed, you can bathe them just for pleasure, comfort, and for early water training.

Well, that's probably all. Evening has come and the baby needs to be laid for a night's sleep. How to do this, whether to leave it alone in the crib or put it with you, as well as how to make your nights calm - in the section Baby sleep .

Feeding the newborn

Feeding your baby is a huge separate stone in the foundation of your baby's life. Therefore, we have highlighted it in a special section.

The first thing that worries young mothers is how to properly attach the baby to the breast. The correct technique can help avoid cracked nipples and other breast problems.

Many mothers who have chosen their mother or grandmother to guide themselves face a problem -
feed the baby on demand or on schedule?
And also: to express the remaining milk after feeding or not?

And for those who have too much milk, so that the baby does not have time to suck out, chest pain may begin in the first days.
and swelling - lactostasis... Here can come to the rescue
manual or electric .

And almost everyone is afraid, how will the baby grow up when he spits up almost everything he has eaten?

Most new mothers are healthy enough to breastfeed their baby. But if for some reason she has lost milk, the child has to be transferred to

The first days of a baby after birth are a kind of testing stage for new parents and for the newborn himself. The kid radically changed his living environment, light and sound accompaniment, nutrition, type of breathing and blood circulation, etc.

Now all these changes need to be adapted as quickly as possible. The task of adapting to new living conditions is in the first days of a newborn.

The staff of the maternity hospital actively helps the mother in caring for the newborn in the first days. But at home, young parents can get confused by the variety of new responsibilities and often conflicting advice that are generously distributed by the surrounding relatives and not only.

This article is for those who want to hear the opinion of a specialist and an experienced parent, formulated in an accessible language, clearly and succinctly.

What can mothers face in the first days after the birth of a baby in a maternity hospital?

Let us repeat once again that in the first seven days the child goes through an early period of adaptation. Adaptation to new waterless conditions. Now the baby does not maintain a constant body temperature from the outside, uninterrupted power supply through the umbilical cord, the usual beating of his mother's heart nearby.

Immediately after giving birth, your baby is taken for examination by a pediatrician-neonatologist, for processing, changing and weighing. Then the baby will be brought to you and put to your breast.

Early attachment to the mother's breast is both a skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the baby and the beginning of an invisible emotional bond between the mother and the newborn. This is the baby's immunity, which is triggered by antibodies and immune cells contained in colostrum. This is the colonization of the first microflora in the intestines of the baby.

Don't worry about feeding. Even if the baby literally eats two drops of colostrum or licks them off the nipple. He doesn't need much now. And nutritious colostrum is able to satisfy all the needs of the crumbs at the moment.

The next two hours the postpartum woman will spend in the maternity ward under the supervision of doctors. Further, the stay of mom and baby can be joint or separate.

When staying together, the baby's crib stands next to the mother's bed, and they are constantly next to each other. In case of separation, most of the time the child is in the children's department of the hospital. They bring him to mom for feeding.

Experts recommend a joint stay after childbirth. This is good for both mom and baby. For the mother, this contributes to the fastest establishment of lactation and uterine contraction. It is more physiological for the baby to be in close relationship with the mother, as before.

If everything is in order with mom and baby, little time passes after giving birth before meeting and getting to know your baby. As a rule, for a few days in the hospital, mothers have time to enjoy the moments of meeting and communicating with the baby, feeding.

But there are different situations when being together is impossible or undesirable due to the peculiarities of the condition of the mother or child after childbirth.

It is worth dwelling separately on the conditions of the newborn, which parents, especially the mother, can scare in the first days. Especially when mom and baby are together.

Moreover, in some cases, mom is ashamed to ask the doctor about it. And sometimes, to be honest, the doctor will not be able or will not want to explain in detail to the mother the peculiarities of her situation with the child. And this will excite and frighten the parents even more.

Borderline, or transient conditions of newborns are called temporary symptoms that arise in connection with the adaptation of a small organism. These conditions do not need special treatment. As a rule, by the end of the neonatal period, that is, by the 28th day of the baby's life, everything passes without a trace.

These include:

1. Physiological weight loss

The baby's body weight is reduced due to the restructuring of the baby to a new type of nutrition. When leaving the aquatic environment "on land", there is a kind of shortage of milk and water on the first day. Also, the baby leaves the original feces (meconium), the rest of the umbilical cord dries up.

To replenish energy costs, in the first days, the newborn's body uses its own depot of special brown fat, which is concentrated in the neck, kidneys, and upper back. Weight loss should not exceed 6-10% of the original birth weight.

After 3-4 days of life, the baby begins to gain weight (from 10 to 50 g per day). By the 12th day, a healthy baby should have regained the lost weight.

2. Toxic erythema

It occurs more often 3-5 days after childbirth. It is a pink, patchy rash with yellow lumps in the center. Elements of the rash can be of different sizes: from point to centimeter, do not itch.

The rash appears most often on the chest, face, on the extensor surfaces of large joints and around them (elbow, shoulder, knee). At the same time, the baby is not worried about anything, his health does not suffer.

This condition arises due to the penetration of microorganisms toxins into the blood, which the baby has encountered during this time. These include even opportunistic bacteria that colonized the baby's intestines in the first days of life.

As a rule, toxic erythema occurs more often in babies who have a hereditary predisposition to allergies.

This condition usually does not require treatment. With a pronounced process, it is recommended to increase the baby's drinking regime and sometimes antihistamines (antiallergic) drugs are prescribed. Normally, the rash disappears after 2-3 days.

3. Other transient manifestations on the skin

The bright red color of the newborn's skin is a kind of reaction to stimuli (removal of generic lubricant, dry air, unusually low ambient temperature).
Large-lamellar peeling of the skin in newborns is observed due to a change in habitat and excessive evaporation of moisture from the skin. It manifests itself in almost all parts of the body, but is more pronounced on the abdomen, legs and feet.
Milia are small white dots on the back and wings of the nose, on the chin of a newborn. The cause of this condition is a blockage of the sebaceous glands. By the 2-3rd week of life, the ducts of the sebaceous glands open, and the milia gradually disappear.
Increased pigmentation (darkening) of the skin around the nipples and scrotum in boys is a manifestation of hormonal changes in the baby's body. These changes are associated with a massive release of female sex hormones during childbirth in the mother. The dark color of the skin disappears without any treatment by the 3rd week of the baby's life.
Telangiectasias are crimson spots in the occipital fossa, on the forehead and in the area of the baby's nose. They are an expanded network of capillaries (spider veins). In the people, this manifestation is called "stork mark". Telangiectasias gradually fade and disappear by the year.

4. Sexual (hormonal) crisis

The reason for this condition is the high level of female sex hormones in the last days of pregnancy and at the time of childbirth and their effect on the body of the newborn.

This is manifested:

engorgement of the mammary glands, their increase and compaction for 3-5 days. Sometimes even a light sticky secret (colostrum) is secreted from the gland. Within a week everything goes away without any treatment;
an increase due to their swelling of the labia majora and small labia, the clitoris in girls, the scrotum in boys;
the release of abundant mucous secretion of a grayish-whitish color from the genital fissure in 60-70% of girls. Sometimes there is a bloody discharge (metrorrhagia). They usually disappear after a few days.

5. Physiological jaundice

Icteric staining of the skin, sclera and mucous membranes appears on the 2-3rd day of the baby's life. The color intensity reaches a maximum on the 4-6th day, and disappears by the 7-10th day. At the same time, the baby feels good.

The cause of this condition is the breakdown of a large amount of fetal (fetal) hemoglobin of erythrocytes (red blood cells) of the newborn. This is a natural process of replacing fetal hemoglobin with a new "adult" hemoglobin. At the same time, the breakdown product of erythrocytes is released into the blood - free bilirubin, which must be utilized by the liver.

But the low enzymatic activity of the immature liver of a newborn does not allow this to be done in a short time. The level of bilirubin in the blood of a newborn ranges from 26-34 to 130-170 μmol / l.

Premature babies are more likely to develop this condition and take a longer duration. Also, the manifestations of jaundice are more pronounced in babies who were later fed with breast milk or with a lack of milk in their mother.

It is necessary to strictly monitor the time of appearance and increase in the intensity of the icteric color of the skin, since jaundice is not physiological either. For example, with the Rh-conflict between the blood of a mother and a baby, when the mother has Rh-negative blood, and the baby has Rh-positive blood.

6. Transient thermoregulation disorders (hyperthermia and hypothermia)

Immediately after birth, the newborn's body temperature decreases compensatory in response to a lower ambient temperature, to the evaporation of moisture from the skin.

Therefore, to prevent even greater heat loss in the delivery rooms, the temperature is maintained at not lower than 24 ° C, the newborn is placed on a heated table for examination, then wrapped in warm diapers. During the first day of life, the child's temperature is set within normal limits.

By the 3-5th day of a baby's life, his body temperature may rise to 38.5 ° C. The reason for this is the immaturity of the centers of thermoregulation of the brain of the newborn, adaptation to dry air with a variable temperature. The child suffers a large loss of fluid with breathing. In addition, the mother has a small amount of milk in the first days of lactation.

7. Transient neurological symptoms

Periodic flinching, intermittent squint, slight trembling of the chin when screaming, difference in muscle tone on the left and right sides, inconsistency of muscle tone and reflexes, painful crying or screaming - all this is considered the norm in the first weeks of a baby's life.

It's all to blame for the immaturity of the newborn's brain. In addition, at the time of childbirth, the baby experiences an acute lack of oxygen.

There is a so-called failure of the balance of the processes of excitation and inhibition in the nervous system of the crumbs. Therefore, he needs time to adjust and learn to perceive such a large flow of information (sound, light, tactile sensations).

8. Transient renal dysfunction

Neonatal oliguria - in the first three days, urine output is less than 15 ml per kg of the child's weight per day. So the baby's body adapts to new conditions, where the flow of fluid due to unsteady nutrition is limited and there is a loss of fluid with respiration.
The appearance of protein in the urine of a newborn in the first days of life is considered normal. This fact indicates the activation of the function of the glomeruli of the kidneys. And, like many systems, in a newborn, the filtration system of the renal glomeruli and tubules is imperfect. Therefore, the epithelium of the renal glomeruli has increased permeability, which leads to the loss of protein.
Uric acid infarction is the deposition of uric acid crystals in the lumen of the collecting ducts of the kidneys. This condition occurs in every sixth newborn.

Since the product of the decay of many cells, for example, blood cells, is uric acid, its excess does not have time to be utilized by the kidneys of a newly born baby.

In the analysis of urine, uric acid, epithelium, hyaline casts, leukocytes appear. At the same time, brick-yellowish spots from urine appear on the diapers or diaper.

9. Transient stool disorder of the newborn (dyspepsia)

A newly born baby will take time for the gastrointestinal tract to reorganize to a different type of nutrition, to populate with useful microflora. This process of adaptation for almost every baby proceeds through the stages presented below:

The first 2 days, the baby leaves the original feces in meager portions (thick tarry meconium).
From the 3rd to the 7th day, a transitional stool appears. It is frequent (up to 10-15 per day), inhomogeneous both in consistency and in color, stool. There are mucus impurities, lumps, a liquid component in it, which manifests itself as a spot of water on the diaper around the feces. The color of the stool gradually changes from dark olive to yellow.
After 7 - 8 days, the stool is normalized. With natural feeding, the stool is a yellow thick homogeneous gruel without admixture of greens. Whitish lumps (curdled breast milk) may appear in small numbers.

When feeding with an adapted formula, the stool in children is denser, with a sharper odor.

10. Transient immunodeficiency

A newly born baby has a transient decrease in immune strength. Immunity is the body's defenses.

The reason for this is the stress experienced during childbirth, hormonal changes at the time of birth, a change in sterile conditions for an active attack by foreign microorganisms, unsteady nutrition in the first days of life, and so on.

The most dangerous period in terms of infection is the first three days. Therefore, it is so important to observe sterile conditions for newborns in maternity hospitals.

All of the above manifestations disappear on their own and do not require specific treatment. Therefore, you should not be afraid of them, but it is very important to monitor the dynamics of such symptoms in order to seek help from specialists in time.

Obviously, it is much calmer and better if mommy knows about the possibility of developing such conditions in advance.

The first days of a newborn at home

Now let's talk about the first days of the baby at home. Or rather, what difficulties parents face in caring for a baby, staying alone with him.

After all, almost all hygienic procedures in the maternity hospital were performed by the medical staff, and at home mommy can get confused by the lack of experience in these matters.

Morning toilet (washing, nasal toilet, washing)

After waking up, the baby needs to be washed. To do this, take a few cotton balls and moisten them with warm boiled water. Wipe the baby's eyes with slightly damp cotton balls from the outer edge of the eye to the inner edge. Then rub over the entire face.

Wipe the baby's skin with dabbing movements of a soft towel or diaper, never rub. It is necessary to ensure that water does not flow into the cervical folds and does not remain there, and if this happens, then thoroughly wipe the moisture dry.

As a rule, after sleeping, crusts accumulate in the baby's nose, which prevent him from breathing freely. You can get rid of them with the help of cotton filaments moistened with vaseline oil or boiled water. Flagella must be done by yourself.

To do this, you can take a small piece of cotton wool and roll a dense flagellum 3-4 cm long and 0.3-0.4 cm thick from it. Thus, it will be easy for you to insert it into the nasal cavity. By scrolling it, you will collect and twist all the crusts from the walls of the baby's nose onto a cotton flagellum.

The baby often does not need to clean the ears. It is enough to wipe dry the auricle and the skin behind it after bathing. Often in babies, especially after sleeping in a hat, the skin behind the ear gets wet. It is important to rinse the area and wipe dry. Care should be taken to ensure that this area is well ventilated and not wet.

There are small nuances in washing babies of different sexes.

The girl needs to be washed from front to back, so that the remains of feces and all impurities do not fall into the genital crevice. Due to the close location of the exit openings of the rectum, urethra and vagina, girls have a high risk of infection in the genitourinary tract.

When washing away, the girl needs to be placed facing her, put the back of the baby's head in the elbow bend of her arm and support the crumb's torso with her forearm. Use a wide brush to hold the girl's buttocks and wash the skin of the perineum with your free hand.

Boys can be washed in different ways. Over time, you will get used to holding the baby exactly as it is convenient for you while washing. Over time, this will be easier to do, because the baby will very soon try to support the little head.

Children need to be washed under running water. Washing babies in a basin is highly undesirable, since there is a high risk of bringing an infection with contaminated water into the urinary tract.

Your baby needs to change the diaper regularly, about every three hours and as it gets dirty. Until the umbilical wound heals, the upper part of the diaper must be tucked under it.

In the first weeks of life (and in the subsequent ones too), it is important to give the baby a break from a hot and heavy diaper. After all, the number of urination and bowel movements can reach up to 20 per day.

It is advisable to carry out air baths without a diaper several times a day, monitoring the temperature of the baby's skin and preventing hypothermia.

The first bath of a newborn

Almost immediately after arriving from the hospital, the newborn needs to be bathed, because the child in the hospital was only washed away. At this time, the baby's skin is already peeling off the chest and abdomen and requires renewal. But since the umbilical wound has not yet healed, the possibility of infection is high, then the water for bathing must be boiled.

Where you bathe your child - in the tub or bath - does not really matter. But I am for the fact that at least before the healing of the navel, the child has his own individual bath.

You should take into account that during bathing, the head and neck of the newborn must be supported with one hand at all times, so that water does not fall into the baby's ears. Therefore, it is better to call an assistant for the first time the baby is bathing.

It is better for the assistant to stand on the other side of the bath. And the approach from both sides is possible only to a free-standing bath. It is also convenient that you can put a small bath at any height convenient for you and in the warmest room in the house (important in winter).

In the first six months, you need to bathe the child daily. The water temperature should be 37-38 ° С, the air temperature in the room should be 22-24 ° С. It is better to bathe before feeding.

The first couple of days you need to bathe the baby in water with the addition of potassium permanganate, and then with a decoction of herbs (preferably a series). Potassium permanganate should be diluted in a separate container so that the crystals of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) do not get on the baby's skin during bathing. The prepared potassium permanganate concentrate in a separate container is then added to the bath with water, so that the water becomes barely pink.

The child may be intimidated by the first immersion in the bath. In order for this dive to be smooth, so that the temperature drop is not so felt, it is better to bathe the baby in a diaper for the first time.

The diaper also prevents from sudden hypothermia of the baby's skin, which can occur with intensive evaporation of water from the baby's skin.

For bathing, the baby wrapped in a diaper is placed smoothly in water, and one handle is washed one by one, and then covered with a moistened diaper. Only then do they start washing the next part of the body.

You can use soap no more than once a week.

The first bathing session should not take longer than 7-10 minutes. That is why one more pair of hands will not interfere in this matter.

When bathing, pay special attention to the baby's wrinkles. Rinse them thoroughly, and then pat dry all areas of the skin with a soft towel.

For the prevention of diaper rash in the folds after bathing, it is better to use a powder. Greasy diaper creams are not always suitable for a baby and prevent the appearance of redness and diaper rash.

In modern diapers, impregnation is almost always used in order to protect the baby's skin. And in practice, not all creams and ointments interact well with the components of this impregnation. Therefore, many layers of all kinds of care products can play a cruel joke with you and your child.

The newborn needs to treat the umbilical wound at least once a day. With a pronounced wetness of the navel, you can toilet the wound twice a day. This is usually done after swimming.

In the first days after the removal of the umbilical cord residue, the navel is covered with a dense bloody crust, which must be removed. After bathing, when she gets wet, this is easier to do.

It is necessary to part the edges of the umbilical wound with clean hands and pour a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide into it abundantly. Leave on for 20-30 seconds, and then dry the wound by stewing it with a cotton swab on a stick. Then treat the bottom of the umbilical wound with a cotton swab on a stick with a 1% solution of brilliant green (brilliant green).

Clipping (trimming) nails

You can trim your baby's nails right after the hospital. As a rule, during this period it is already necessary, since a full-term baby is born with a small but sharp little manicure. The nails are very scratched and break easily.

Trim your nails in a straight line with scissors with rounded ends. This will reduce the risk of burr formation and infection of the nail bed.

Baby's first walk

If the child is in good health and the weather is favorable, you can walk with the child on the street immediately after leaving the hospital. The duration of the first walk should not exceed 15-20 minutes.

So that the gathering on the street does not drag on, the child does not overheat and does not sweat during the gathering for a walk, choose loose and easy-to-close clothes.

In case of severe anxiety, the first short walk can be made in the arms of the mother.

It is worth going out for a walk after feeding. This makes it more likely that the child will get a good night's sleep in the fresh air.

In the summertime, you should avoid active solar time. That is, it is better to walk with your child before 11 am or after 4 pm. In winter, walking should be canceled when the temperature drops below -10 ° C.

The baby needs to wear one more clothes in the summer than on himself, and in the winter - two more. Plus, keep in mind that a child at this age often sleeps on the street, so he needs to be covered with a blanket.

Feeding regimen in the early days

You can talk endlessly about feeding. The topic of feeding can be developed for the same article volume. Therefore, for newly minted mothers, I will only touch on the regime moments here.

An important question - to feed on demand or by the hour?

Answer: it is desirable to feed the newborn baby with breast milk on demand. If desired, after a month of life, the crumbs gradually switch to the feeding regime every two hours.

When feeding milk substitutes, a regimen is required. Therefore, it is not necessary to give the mixture earlier than 3-3.5 hours after feeding. Food must have time to digest. Otherwise, you cannot avoid increased gas formation and colic.

The period of the first weeks of a baby's life consists practically of feedings, smoothly flowing into sleep. In the early days, a newborn can stay awake for up to 4 hours a day.

In conclusion, I will summarize. The first days of the baby are the most crucial moment, which the necessary information on the topic will help the mother to go through more smoothly. You just got this information!

Health to you and your children!

A practicing pediatrician, twice mother Elena Borisova-Tsarenok told you about the peculiarities of the first days of a newborn.

The article will help young parents to competently organize childcare in the first days after discharge from the hospital.

The birth of a baby is the brightest event for every parent. However, with the advent of a new man, new troubles arise. Young parents can get confused among new responsibilities, so it is necessary to prepare for the appearance of a baby in advance.

What do you need at home after leaving the hospital?

The main requirement for a home is, of course, cleanliness. But this does not mean that the expectant mother a few days before giving birth should run with a rag and wash every corner. On the contrary, it is strictly forbidden to do so. In such a case, it is necessary to ask for help from the husband, and best of all from the future grandmother or even two. The order must be restored when the woman in labor is in the hospital, a couple of days before discharge. The second necessary action is to prepare a children's room or, if this is not possible, a special place in the room. The room should be bright, spacious, well ventilated. In addition, you still need:

Purchase a night light in advance, because at night you have to get up more than once to feed the child.
Children's clothes should be kept separate from adults, so a chest of drawers for children's clothes will come in handy.
Get a baby cot. The selection of beds is very large: the variety of designs, colors and shapes is simply amazing. Which bed is best for your child is up to you. The main thing is that the crib is a comfortable place for sleeping and spending time for the child. Together with the crib, you need to choose a mattress. It is not worth saving on the purchase of a mattress, since the health of your little one will depend on the quality of the mattress.

If the air in the house is dry (due to the heating season or for other reasons), it is best to purchase a special air humidifier. Dry air has a negative effect on the baby, the mucous membrane of the nose begins to dry out and a runny nose begins, which can easily develop into a chronic one. Therefore, you must not forget to monitor the humidity in the room. You can, of course, try to do without a special air humidifier. This requires:

do wet cleaning every day
ventilate the room more often
you can put a large container of water near the battery or hang wet things in the room and on the battery

However, as practice shows, such methods are ineffective and short-lived.

What does a newborn need after being discharged from the hospital?

The list of necessary things for newborns can be very long and endless, but you can get by with a very modest list, which will include only the most necessary things.

One way or another, the baby cannot do without the following things:

A first-aid kit, which must include brilliant green, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, sterile cotton wool, a remedy for colic (for example, espumisan, bobotik, plantex, etc.). The first-aid kit can also be supplemented with a children's thermometer, an antipyretic agent for newborns, a pipette.
Baby skin care products. The modern industry offers a large selection of different creams, shampoos, powders, etc. The choice of products depends on the preferences of the parents, as well as the baby's skin. Be sure to get a cream or powder for a diaper and a bath. However, it must be remembered that you need to use the bathing product no more than 2 times a week. The rest of the time you need to bathe the baby in plain water, to which chamomile or calendula infusion has been added.
Cotton pads, cotton swabs, wet wipes.
Diapers (disposable or reusable, depending on the parent's choice).
Diapers. Even if you are not going to swaddle your baby, diapers will always come in handy. There should be both warm and normal diapers. Always a topical question about the number of diapers. The minimum set is 4 warm and 5-7 regular ones. You just need to remember one rule: the smaller the diapers, the more often you will need to wash them.
A blanket for the crib and one for the stroller.
At least 2 sets of baby bedding. Now you can also buy bumpers for a crib and a canopy. However, in the first month of the baby's life, the sides in the crib are not particularly needed, on the contrary, they can only interfere, closing the baby from the mother.
The canopy is also a controversial subject, it plays a more decorative role, while collecting dust on itself. Therefore, if the child suffers from allergies, it is better to refuse the canopy.
Bathing bath. Recently, one can come across the opinion that it is possible to bathe in a regular bathroom, but in the first months, a special bath will still be more comfortable and safer for the child.
Towel, nail scissors for the baby.
Stroller, baby car seat.
If the baby is bottle-fed, you must also purchase 2 feeding bottles.
Baby clothes. It is best to buy clothes that can be unbuttoned. Such clothes allow you to change your child's clothes most comfortably.

These are the basic things you will need in the first days of your baby's life. Of course, the list can be expanded. It all depends on the wishes and wallet of the parents.

A rocking chair, a nipple, a special slide for swimming, a thermometer for water, etc. will be very useful. About a month you can already buy bright toys and rattles.
The main thing is not to panic and not sweep all the necessary and unnecessary from the shelves of children's stores. If you haven't bought something, you can always do it in the process.

What to do with the baby after the hospital?

Immediately after the hospital, the child needs to be fed and allowed to rest. On the first day, you do not need to immediately bathe and walk the baby, it is enough to follow the rules of basic hygiene for newborns. The main thing is to provide him with a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. The number of visitors should also be limited, especially in the first days after discharge. Relatives and friends will still have time to get to know the new man.

When can you go for a walk after the hospital?

Walking is a necessary element of childcare.

You can go for a walk the next day after discharge.

You need to start with 10-15 minutes, adding 5-10 minutes every day.

In summer, walks can last up to three hours; you can walk several times a day.

In winter and during the cold season, the duration of the walk will depend on the air temperature.

It is important for a mother to dress her baby correctly, in accordance with the weather.

Inexperienced parents, in an effort to protect their child from colds, may dress him too warmly, which will cause the child to overheat. And the state of overheating is even worse than hypothermia. To avoid such a mistake, you need to remember the rule: you must wear as many layers of clothing as on an adult plus one layer.

The first bath after the hospital

The first bath is a very important ritual for both parents and children. To a large extent, how the first bathing will take place depends on how the child will subsequently relate to this procedure. Therefore, you need to try so that the bathing takes place in a calm atmosphere and the child gets positive emotions. For this:

you can choose any time for bathing, but it is necessary that bathing takes place at approximately the same time every day
the kid should be in a good mood
the water temperature should be about 37 degrees
you need to add a weak solution of potassium permanganate to the water, but you do not need to add potassium permanganate every day, it greatly dries the baby's skin. But chamomile or calendula must be added daily. Potassium permanganate should be used until the umbilical wound heals
the first time it is better to bathe the baby in a diaper
to bathe the child, you need to hold with one hand for the back of the head, neck and back, and with the other for the legs and buttocks. You can put the child's head on your forearm, holding it with your hand in the area of the shoulder joint, protecting the child from slipping and diving
immerse the child in the water carefully, starting with the legs
the duration of the first bath is a few minutes, gradually, if your child likes it, the time can be added

Video: Bathing a newborn

The arrival of the pediatrician after the hospital

After being discharged from the hospital, a patronage nurse and a pediatrician must come to the house within 3 days. They can be asked any questions regarding childcare. It is best to write down the questions that interest you so as not to forget anything.

The doctor will check the heartbeat, the size of the fontanelle and the umbilical wound, feel the tummy, and examine the oral cavity. The health visitor will keep a medical record for the child and will visit you regularly. During the first month - 1-2 times a week, then - about 1 time a month.

Caring for newborns at home after maternity hospital

After the maternity hospital, painstaking workdays begin. Caring for a child takes a lot of energy and energy, so don't try to do it yourself. It is best to give your dad certain responsibilities, such as ironing, walking, cooking, etc. Mom must have time to rest. In the first weeks of his life, the baby sleeps almost all the time, so the mother can also sleep during the daytime of the baby.

From the first days it is necessary to establish a certain regime for the child. The newborn's morning will look something like this:

after sleep it is necessary to feed the baby.
then arrange morning hygiene procedures: undress the child, remove the diaper, thereby giving him an air bath. Wipe the eyes with a damp cotton pad (you need to wipe from the outer corner of the eyes to the inner one), then wipe the entire face. Clean the ears and nose with cotton swabs. Wipe all folds on the baby's body and lubricate with baby cream.
it is necessary to process the umbilical wound. To do this, you need to treat the navel with hydrogen peroxide and grease with brilliant green.
it is advisable to do a light massage and light exercise.
dress the baby and give him a rest.

During the day, be sure to go out with the child for a walk and bathe him.

You can feed the child either strictly according to the schedule (every 3 hours) or at the request of the child.
The second direction is currently considered more literate, but such feeding does not allow you to strictly adhere to the daily regimen. The choice is up to mom.