Baby care - 10 tips for new parents

Suddenly, you’re back home from giving birth, holding a new little family member in your arms. As well as mentally settling into your role as a parent, there are some new practical things to get to grips with – such as caring for your baby. We have put together a short checklist of 10 things to be aware of when caring for a newborn baby.

1. Your newborn’s belly button
   The remaining part of your baby’s umbilical cord will shrink and eventually the stump will detach itself, after about 8 to 12 days. It is good to keep your baby’s belly button clean by gently washing it using plain water and a cotton swab. Often the hospital or clinic where you gave birth will give you instructions on how to do this. If you think it’s a bit scary to keep washing when the umbilical stump ends up hanging by a tiny thread, we can reassure you that there are no nerves in the umbilical stump and it doesn’t hurt the baby. There may be some bleeding and fluid around the belly button, which is usually quite normal. But if the area of the belly closest to the umbilical stump becomes red and swollen, starts to smell worse and oozes more, it may indicate an infection, so keep it clean and talk to your healthcare provider for help.
2. Washing or bathing your baby
   Your newborn baby’s skin can become slightly irritated in folds where it gets warm and moist, such as the small folds around the neck and under the chin. You may therefore need to dry your baby with a soft towel every day to prevent skin irritation, but plain water or a little unscented oil is all you need.

   Babies also need an occasional bath – something that many babies really enjoy. How often you should bathe your baby is a bit difficult to say in general because it depends on their skin type – and how much your baby enjoys bathing of course. You have to experiment a bit here – if the little one doesn’t smell of stale milk, food or anything else, a weekly bath is usually enough. Babies who have problems with eczema usually benefit from less frequent bathing because water dries out the skin.

3. Changing nappies
   When you put a clean nappy on your little baby, make sure it doesn’t press against the umbilical cord stump while it is still attached. Our smallest nappies are extra soft around the belly button to give it air and space to heal.

   How often you need to change your baby’s nappy varies, but it’s usually somewhere between 6–10 times a day. A little pee doesn’t mean you have to change the nappy straight away, but you should always change it if the baby has pooed to avoid a red bottom. We’ve gathered all the tips you need about changing nappies, whether you have a newborn or an older baby who doesn’t want to lie still at all.

   An incredibly important thing to remember is that even tiny babies seem to miraculously move around on a changing table, even though they are so small that they are far from being able to shuffle or crawl. It is therefore important to never walk or look away when your baby is on the changing table – if you have to turn around for something, always put a gentle hand on your baby’s tummy to reduce the risk of falls. It’s a long way down for such a small body.

4. Taking care of your baby’s skin
   Baby acne looks like tiny reddish spots that your baby may get during the first few months of life. They may be slightly yellow on top and look like small pimples. It is completely normal and does not require any creams or treatment – just leave the spots alone and they will disappear over time. Bear in mind that baby’s skin is very sensitive, so protect it completely from the sun in the first six months and take care of those little cheeks when it’s cold and dry out. When the temperature drops below zero, the wind can get cold and fierce – so it’s a good idea not to let your baby sleep outside and instead take a nap indoors.
5. Cutting and filing your baby’s nails
   A newborn baby’s nails can be long and sharp, and it’s easy for a small baby who can’t control their arms to accidentally scratch their face. This is why it’s good to try to keep nails short. But it’s better to use a nail file or gently peal them off, as cutting a newborn baby’s nails can be tricky as it’s often difficult to see how much of the nails are attached to the skin.
6. Washing your baby’s eyes
   In the first few days of life, your baby’s eyes may be slightly swollen, but this usually goes away on its own. Sticky eyes in young babies are quite common, and their eyes can sometimes become irritated and a little watery, so it’s a good idea to wipe them when your baby wakes up from a sleep. Wipe the eye from the outside to the corner of the eye with some lukewarm water on a soft cloth. If the eye problems do not improve, it may be an eye infection that needs to be treated. Speak to your healthcare provider to find out how to treat it.
7. Your baby’s soft hair
   Some babies are born with a full head of hair, others have almost no hair at all or just a bit of soft fluff. You don’t need shampoo to wash a little baby’s hair, some baby oil in the bath is fine. Lots of babies get cradle cap, which is completely harmless although it can itch if there is a lot of it.
8. Cleaning your baby’s ears
   Avoid poking around inside your baby’s ears – the earwax that is there is actually supposed to be there. So even if your fingers itch at the sight of earwax, don’t stick a cotton swab in there. If you do, it is easy to push the wax into the ear canal, which can cause blockages.
9. Start giving vitamin D after one week
   For the first two years of your child’s life, they need extra vitamin D in the form of five D-drops every day, all year round. The Swedish National Food Agency recommends starting D-drops when the baby is one week old, regardless of whether your baby is breastfed or formula fed.
10. Using a dummy
    Your baby has a sucking reflex right from the start, and can actually suck their thumb in the womb. In addition to the sucking reflex enabling babies to eat, most babies are often comforted and calmed by sucking on something. That’s why a dummy is usually a good option when extra comfort is needed. There is some debate about how soon after birth you can start using a dummy and whether it interferes with breastfeeding, but it might be worth waiting to introduce a dummy until your baby has mastered breastfeeding – assuming you want to breastfeed that is.

11. Please note that all information above is based on Swedish recommendations.