Bringing Your Newborn Home

Birth is not easy on anyone. You are worn out and stressed, and your newborn is learning to cope with a new bright and noisy environment. Even if the birth was a smooth one, you are both going through a lot of changes and will tend to be out of sorts for the first few weeks. The important thing is to just stay calm and take things slowly during this adjustment period. Some of the tips below may help ease the transition.

Talk and sing to your newborn

Your baby grows used to the sound of your voice while he is growing inside of you. Therefore after he is born, your voice will continue to have a soothing effect on him. So sing lullabies, talk to him and read rhyming stories so he can be calmed by your familiar voice.

Make eye contact with your newborn

Your newborn may not have perfect vision but he can still see you. Most mothers will tell you their newborn can look into their eyes and that they show signs of recognition. Get your newborn familiar with your face by talking to him and looking him in the eye while you massage him and interact with him.

Touch your newborn often

It's natural and common sense. Stroking your newborn's arms, legs and head will relax him and enhance your bond. You might want to learn infant massage techniques so you can help him fall asleep and relieve stress. Hold your baby next to you and carry him in a baby sling if possible. This will help to reassure and calm your newborn and help him to thrive. Using a baby sling will keep your baby close but allow you to move your arms around and do other things at the same time. This can have a calming effect upon you too. The first few weeks of life is not the time to let your baby cry it out alone in his crib.

Respond to your newborn's cries

Crying is the only way your newborn has to communicate. It could mean he is hungry, old, in pain, sick, or just bored. At this young age, the best thing for you to do is respond to his cries by picking him up and cuddling and trying to determine the reason behind his cries. It won't be long until you are able to decipher his cries and will be able to soothe him quickly. Don't worry about spoiling your newborn. At this young age, babies need to be tended to in order to help them feel secure and to develop trust and enhance maternal bonding.

Don't try to be perfect

During those first few weeks, you may be out of sync with your newborn and feel like crying yourself. Don't expect perfection from yourself or your newborn. Just take it slow and communicate your love and let everything else fall into place.

Doctors rethinking just how early to treat cholesterol (The Providence Journal)

Nicole Martin did everything right when it came to controlling her cholesterol.

'Growing pains' is misnomer, many doctors say (Anchorage Daily News)

The vague and mysterious pains that wake school-aged children in the middle of the night confound even the most medically savvy parent. What are growing pains and why do children get them?

Kids' vaccines face parental resistance (Chicago Tribune)

Pediatricians fear that concerns about immunization will allow once vanquished childhood diseases to return Over and over again, scientific research has found no link between vaccinations and autism. But parental suspicions remain high, and pediatricians fear that such concerns about immunization will allow once vanquished childhood diseases to return.

Kids' vaccinations face risky resistance (Chicago Tribune)

Pediatricians fear that concerns about immunization will allow once vanquished childhood diseases to return Angela O'Connell will not allow her 15-month-old son to be vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella because she is certain the vaccination caused autism in her older boy, Aidan.

Kids' shots face risky resistance (Chicago Tribune)

Pediatricians fear that concerns about immunization will allow once vanquished childhood diseases to return Pediatricians fear that concerns about immunizations, stemming from suspicions that shots are linked to autism, will allow once vanquished childhood diseases to return.