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.

Somebody’s coming, I can hear them (Sidney Herald-Leader)

In just a few short months, Tayten Bright will hear the sounds of a baby brother or sister crying – something he would never have experienced without the cochlear implant surgery reported in the Aug. 26, 2007, Sidney Herald.

OB-GYNs Update Recommendations for Psychiatric Meds in Pregnancy (Psychiatric Times)

In a recently updated practice bulletin from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), 1 lamotrigine (Lamictal) has been deemed a relatively safe choice when a mood stabilizer is required for a pregnant patient with bipolar affective disorder.

Haggard defines success on her terms (Chart)

Lauren Haggard, assistant professor of nursing at Missouri Southern, defines success in her own way.

Law?s Effect: An Iowa Girl Is Abandoned in Nebraska (New York Times)

An Iowa resident crossed into Omaha to abandon a 14-year-old girl under Nebraska?s ?safe haven? law, which allows parents or guardians to leave a child in state custody without fear of prosecution.

Health Calendar (The Lincoln-Way Sun)

Infant massage: Noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 25, Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, 333 N. Madison St., Joliet. Class is designed for expectant and new parents to explore the techniques and benefits of infant massage. Bring your newborn to receive the calming effects of a massage.