First time parents are confused at a loss most of the time during infant care of their newborn. It’s hard to blame them; they would want to perform these duties flawlessly. So here are some suggestions to help you get by:

- Support baby’s head with a gentle hand care whenever you hold, carry or lay baby down.
- Treat baby gently. Never shake the baby for any reason, including to wake him or her up. Instead, tickle the feet or blow on the cheek to rouse your little one.
- Make sure you’re using the baby car seat and stroller correctly, and that baby is safely secured.
- Newborns just need to be held and cuddled. It’s too soon for games such as bouncing on the knee or lifting in the air.

Moreover, it wouldn’t hurt to seek the advice of those with considerable experience in raising babies. Yes, that’s your parents and your in-laws. Their experience is golden but take care not to get too dependent on them.

Source: Dr Sonia

Fathers in the true sense are the first role model of kids who contribute hugely to develop
the personality of his kids. Surprisingly most fathers do not get their fair share of credit in
building the life of a child. This is primarily due to the protective nature and the responsibility
of guardianship they have to follow. But they have their own ways of showing the love and
eventually every kid realizes the hardships a father goes through to give him a better life.

Father’s Day is celebrated world wide as a tribute to the love, affection and values we receive
from them. Although the date of Father’s Day celebration is not same across the globe but
most prominent is the third Sunday of June. The credit of establishing Father’s Day celebration
goes to Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She realized the struggle her father went
through to raise his children and created the cause to celebrate one dedicated day for fathers
in line of Mother’s Day. Although initially the day was marked as a religious holiday it became a
festival later on.

With changing times fathers have come much closer to their kids and are doing their best to
earn the love of his children. Today more and more fathers are spending quality time with kids
creating memories for life.

The celebration of Father’s day is incomplete without a surprise. So kids, Just gear up and put
your thinking caps on to make this day memorable for your father. In general gifting, special
trips, Family activities and special dinners are very good idea to uplift the mood. However Gudli
has some unique tips for kids which can add to the spirit of Father’s Day to a new height.

• Take a family picture and draw it by your own. Then gift the picture in a frame as a gift to
be remembered for life.
• Make a greeting card and write how much you love your Dad and see the smile
brightening on his face.
• Take a white Mug and paint “I Love You Dad” or “My Superhero” and gift it to your
father.
• Most important of all wake up early go to your papa and give him a tight hug and greet
him and you’ll know the celebration has started.

Source: Dr. Sonia

• Weight 2.5 – 3.5 kg.
• Length 50 cm.
• Head circumference 35 cm.
• Heart rate 120 – 140 per minute.
• Respiratory rates 30 – 40 per minute.

The normal baby may be slightly bluish in the extremities a short while after birth but becomes pink within a few hours.

Urine is passed during birth or immediately after birth, but a vast majority passes urine within the 24 hours.

The first stool, which the baby passes, is known as meconium, it is black in color and is paste like. Meconium is passes within the first day and the stools change to golden brown over the next 2 – 3 days.

The infant is normally ready for the feed within 3 – 4 hours after birth and where ever possible should be put to the mother’s breast.

Source: Dr. Anupam

• Give your child a sense of control: Put a potty (or for boys, a training urinal) in the bathroom starting around the first birthday. Don’t say anything about it. Your child will figure out very quickly what it is. Initially, kids use potties as toys, storage bins, hats–just about anything other than a potty. Fine. Just ignore it. The first time your child sits (or stands) and attempts to use it, make a big deal. Your child will test you and see if you react to her using a diaper–pay no attention. Give positive reinforcement for using a potty and ignore everything else. Eventually, your child will seek the positive reinforcement.

• Potty training for pee precedes potty training for poop: Most kids will urinate in a toilet months before they will poop in one. This is fine. Don’t push the issue, because if you child has a bad experience pooping (if she is scared, for instance), it can trigger a cycle of withholding and constipation. Tell your child that you will be proud of her when she poops in the potty, but if she can’t do it, then she needs to ask for a diaper when she feels the need to go.

• Their friends count more than you do: Your child knows how to push your buttons, so even if you think you are being sneaky, it is pretty obvious that you are eager to have him use the toilet. Pushing your buttons is fun for your child, and one way to push your buttons is to refuse to use the toilet. But, most kids seek to impress their friends. Invite a potty-trained friend or family member over and, at some point, ask that child if they will show your child how to use the toilet. It is not uncommon for the play date to end and for the unpotty-trained child to announce that they want to use the toilet just like so-and-so.

1.  Not Sleeping

Everyone knows that new parents are commonly sleep deprived, but it does not have to be so bad. Especially if you and your spouse can find ways to share the load and balance your time, then you should be able to get close to your usual amount of sleep every day. 

2. Unrealistic Time Expectations 

Many new parents like to think that they will still have plenty of free time when the baby is sleeping or entertaining herself, but you might be surprised by how much of your time is occupied by baby-related tasks even when the baby is asleep.

3. Believing Everything You Hear

There is a lot of parenting advice out there, and while most of it is harmless, the advice-givers are not always consistent in what they say. Rather than listening to and believing everything you see, try to formulate your own philosophy about parenting, and then listen only to those experts whose beliefs are in line with yours.

4. Spouse neglect

There is no getting around the fact that your baby will be the center of attention in your household, and not just for the first few weeks or months. Parents have to be willing to give up much of themselves in order to care for a child, and this will last until the child is old enough to be independent. For now, try not to let your child get in the way of your connection with your spouse. Find time to talk, to snuggle up without the baby, and to keep your sex life going.

5. Over-worrying

Many new parents spend so much time reading and worrying about all the things that can wrong with a new child that they become all but convinced that bad things are inevitable. Any time you suspect that something may be wrong with your child, it is best to listen to your intuition and take the child to your doctor as soon as possible.

6. Over-spending

Although we do not like to admit it, much of what we buy for a newborn baby is more for the parents’ benefit than the child’s. A newborn baby does not need much more than loving parents and a place to sleep, so you do not have to deplete your bank account in preparation for the birth.

Source: Dr Anu

Although boys usually weigh more than girls and are slightly longer, there is no ‘right’ size for a newborn. If your baby is active and feeding well, there’s no need to worry if she doesn’t fit neatly into the weight-length chart you see on the baby health centre wall.

In the first nine months, your baby will roughly triple her weight. If she’s not gaining weightat a healthy pace, it could be a feeding problem. Your child health nurse will be able to help you sort that out.

You might not even need to use a growth chart – as your baby grows, you might notice him outgrowing his clothes, bassinet, baby bath, or other items that seemed enormous when he was a newborn.

What your newborn might be doing

All babies pick up new skills in their first year. These are called milestones. Here’s a guide to some of the major milestones:

• At birth: unable to support her head unaided, closes hands involuntarily in the grasp reflex, startles at sudden loud noises.
• At four weeks: focuses on a face, might respond to a bell in some way (startling, crying, going quiet), follows an object moved in an arc about 15 cm above her face until it’s straight ahead.
• At six weeks:might start to smile at familiar faces, start to coo.
• At 12 weeks: can lie on her tummy with head held up looking around, can wave a rattle, starts to play with own fingers and toes.

The first, second, and third months are the first trimester of pregnancy.

First Trimester:

1st  week  It might seem strange, but you’re not actually pregnant the first week or two of the time allotted to your pregnancy. Yes, you read that correctly!

2 weeks after the first day of the last normal menstrual period – The sperm and egg join in the fallopian tube and fertilization has occurred. A single sperm penetrates the mother’s egg cell, and the resulting cell is called a zygote. fertilizationThe zygote contains all of the genetic information (DNA) necessary to become a child. The baby begins to form from this single fertilized egg, the cell starts to divide itself into 2 cells, then 4, 8 and so on rapidly. Forty-six chromosomes combine, which pre-determine all of a person’s physical characteristics. day3 – 8 cells.The fertilized egg is still rapidly dividing as it floats down from the fallopian tube and towards the uterus. The embryo first moves into the uterus at about 80 hours after ovulation. The implantation process begins about 3 days later.

3 weeks, Fertilization  – Now the developing embryo is in the uterus, it searches for a nice place to implant. day5 Blastocyst When one is found, the zygote burrows beneath the surface of the uterus. At this stage the fertilized egg is now called a blastocyst, it is a fluid filled cluster of 50 to 60 cells, still multiplying madly. Implantation of the blastocyst occurs at about day 5 to day 8 of embryo development. IVF embryos are usually transferred into the uterus around this stage. The developing embryo is only one-hundredth of an inch long, but is rapidly developing. It can reproduce itself through twinning at any time up to about 14 days after conception; this is how identical twins are formed.

4 weeks,Implantation  – At week four, you might begin to suspect you are pregnant since the embryo4 week embryo produces hormones which stop the mother’s menstrual cycle. The cluster of cells has attached to the uterus wall and has divided into two parts. The half attached to the uterine wall will become the placenta, the vessel filled support system that will nourish the developing life, and the other half will become the baby. embryo 5 weeksThe amniotic fluid that cushions the fetus begins to form. The cells of the embryo multiply and begin to take on specific functions. The backbone, spinal column, and nervous system are forming. The heart, kidneys, liver, and intestines will soon be taking shape. Nerve growth begins when a sheet of cells on the back of the embryo folds in the middle to form a tube, which will become the future spinal cord. At one end the tube enlarges to form the brain’s major sections.

5 weeks,The embryonic period begins – On the 26th day after fertilization, the embryo’s tiny heart begins to beat. At this time the embryo is still size of a raisin.embryo 5 weeks 4days There is rapid growth, and the baby’s main external features begin to take form. Low on the sides of the head are two folds of tissue that will become the ears. Although not completely developed, all the major body organs and systems are formed. The neural tube enlarges into three parts, that will soon to develop to become a very complex brain. Also the placenta begins functioning, known as the chorionic villi and the umbilical cord, through which the baby will receive nourishment and oxygen. The spine and spinal cord is growing faster than the rest of the body at this stage and will give the appearance of a tail. This will disappear as the baby grows.

6 weeks, The neural tube closes -embryo 5 weeks 6days The embryo itself is about a 1/4 inch (6mm) long. Major organs, including the kidneys and liver, have begun to develop, and the neural tube, which connects the brain and spinal cord closes. The brain develops into five areas and some cranial nerves are visible. The arm and leg buds are visible. The physical sensations of pregnancy start — nausea, fatigue, sore breasts and frequent urination.

7 weeks, Baby’s head develops -embryo 6 weeks 1day oldThe embryo’s hands and feet are shaped like paddles, but the fingers are beginning to take shape. The embryonic tail has now almost disappeared. The pituitary gland is also forming and the fetus is beginning to grow muscle fibers. The heart has divided into the right and left chambers and is beating about 150 beats a minute which is about twice the rate of an adult. The baby’s facial features are visible, including a mouth and tongue. The eyes have a retina and lens. The major muscle system is developed, and the baby starts to practice moving. The baby has its own blood type and the blood cells are produced by the liver.

8 weeks,Baby’s eyes are visible  -Embryo 6 weeks 2days embryo 6 weeks old The unborn baby is now called a fetus. The fetus is protected by the amniotic sac and filled with fluid. Inside the child swims and moves gracefully. The fetus is now about 1/2 inch (12mm) long. The arms and legs have lengthened. During this time of development, the baby’s head appears much larger than the body because the brain is growing very rapidly. Brain waves can now be measured. The teeth and the palate are beginning to form and the larynx is developing. Through its parchment-thin skin, the baby’s veins are clearly visible. By the eighth week the ears begin to take shape.

9 weeks, Baby’s toes form -fetus 7 weeks 1days Though the fetus is constantly moving, you won’t be able to actually feel fetal movement for several more weeks. All of the organs, muscles, and nerves are in place and beginning to function. The eyelids have fused shut and won’t open again until week 27. fetus 7 weeks 5daysAs the hands and feet develop fingers and toes, they lose their paddle-like look, and the touch pads on the fingers form.

10 weeks, Baby’s neck begins to develop – The fetus weighs about 1/3 of an ounce. The heart is almost completely developed and very much resembles that of a newborn baby. An opening the atrium of the heart and the presence of a bypass valve divert much of the blood away from the lungs, as the child’s blood is oxygenated through the placenta. The wrists and ankles have formed and the fingers and toes are clearly visible. Genitals have begun to from, but it is too early to tell the sex of the fetus. By this week of the pregnancy the placenta has developed enough to support most of the critical job of producing hormones.

11 weeks ,Baby’s genitals develop – fetus 8 weeks oldThe vital organs – the liver, kidneys, intestines, brain and lungs are almost fully formed and beginning to function, while the the head is almost half the length of the entire body. The fetus is only about 2 inches (50mm) long and weighs less than a half ounce but it is busy moving and kicking.

12 weeks, Baby’s fingernails develop – Vocal chords are complete, and the baby can and does sometimes cry silently. The brain is fully formed, and the baby can also feel pain. The fetus may even suck his thumb. The eyelids now cover the eyes, and will remain shut until the seventh month to protect the delicate optical nerve fibers. The hair is on the head and the fingers and toes have developed soft nails. The kidneys are developed and begin to secrete urine.

By now your baby might measure about 2 inches (50 millimeters) long from crown to rump and weigh almost 1/3 ounce (8 grams).

Week 12 and the third month is the end of the first trimester.

By Dr. Kalpana

Tips for selecting the Right Diapers

Now, one of the skills that you need to learn especially as a first-time parent is how to change nappies. But first, you need to learn how to choose the right one to wear on your baby so that there will be no signs of nappy rash on your kid’s sensitive skin. To get you started on the right path, here are a few tips that you should keep in mind when choosing the right diapers for your kid:

Purchase a small pack of one brand of diapers and check

Raising a baby is quite expensive, so you need to be wise in your purchases. Bulk buying diapers which your baby is allergic to is a definite waste of money – so purchase a small pack of one brand first. Once you determine that your baby is not developing rashes with the brand of diaper that you bought, that is when you can safely buy in bulk.

Make sure that your baby is not developing nappy rash while wearing

During the first few months of your baby’s life, you are bound to change nappies more often because they always get soiled or wet. The frequency reduces gradually as your baby grows. With the bacteria and the moistness of the diaper area, it is but normal to expect your baby’s skin to develop nappy rash. But there are instances when the brand of the diapers used is the culprit for the rashes.

You are probably already doing this as a parent, but it doesn’t hurt to stress the importance of comparing different brands, prices and quality of nappies available in the market. By doing so, you can rest assured that you are getting the best value for your money without sacrificing the effect that the diapers have on your baby’s skin.

By Ms. Kusum