How to Teach New Parents to Care for Their Infants
Caring for an infant for the first time can be a stressful experience; however, it can also be a joy when you have the proper techniques and support to help care for the baby. Parents experience less stress when they are prepared to care for their infant. When parents are taught ahead of time how to care for their infant, they have more confidence to properly care for the baby once he arrives.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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Instruct parents to wash their hands before handling their infants. To keep germs away from the newborn, parents should wash their hands with antibacterial soap or apply hand sanitizer. According to Kids Health, an infant's immune system is not strong enough to fight off dangerous bacteria and is therefore prone to infections.
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Show parents how to hold and cuddle a new infant. Teach them the importance of using their hands to support the baby's head---cradling the head to make sure it does not fall backward when parents carry the baby.
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Teach parents to play with and care for their infant gently. Tell them not to shake the infant as it can result in internal bleeding to the brain or death, according to Kids Health.
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Inform new parents to bond with their infant. Bonding is a way to connect with the child. New parents can bond and with their infant through singing, reading books or poetry, or by talking to the baby. Another way to bond is by using swaddling techniques. Swaddling involves wrapping the baby snugly in his blanket and holding him close to your body. This technique help comfort the infant and makes the baby feel more secure, according to Kids Health website.
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- Photo Credit new born image by Dor Sela from Fotolia.com
