Parent and Baby

Written on April 9, 2008 – 3:17 pm | by Staff |

WEEK 3 – How big is your baby this Third week?

Baby weighs 8-1/2 pounds and is 20-3/4 inches long this week.

Baby Care and Equipment

Bottle-feeding Your Baby

Statistics show that more women choose to bottle-feed their babies than to breastfeed them. Your baby will receive good nutrition if you give her formula.

Bottle-feeding has advantages, Some women enjoy the freedom bottle-feeding gives them compared to breastfeeding. A father can be more involved in caring for his child. Bottle-fed babies often are able to go longer between feedings; formula is usually more slowly digested than breast milk. You can determine exactly how much your baby takes in at each feeding.

How much to feed. Bottle-fed babies take from 2 to 5 ounces of formula at a feeding. They feed about every 3 to 4 hours for the first month (6 to 8 times a day). When baby is older, the number 0 feedings decreases, but the amount of formula you feed at each feeding increases.

With bottle-feeding, other family members can enjoy helping to care for the baby.

Feeding twins or triplets. Twins or triplets (or even more) are often bottle-fed because it is more difficult and demanding to breastfeed multiples. Some women pump their breast milk and divide it among the babies, then supplement with formula. Other mothers feed only formula if they have more than one baby. Still others try to breastfeed one or two babies at each nursing, feeding other babies formula for that feeding. If you have more than one baby, there are many ways you can provide them with the nutrition they need.

Sterilize the water used for formula. When you bottle-feed, sterilize the water you use until your baby is at least 4 months old or when she starts solids. Do this by boiling it for 1 minute. Do not expect bottled water to be safer than tap water. One recent study showed that nearly 35% of more than 100 brands of bottled water were contaminated with chemicals or bacteria. If you use bottled water, boil it.
Sterilize new equipment. There is no need to sterilize bottles on a regular basis unless you use well water. In that case, boil bottles and nipples for 5 minutes. However, always sterilize new bottles, nipples, caps and rings for 5 minutes before using them for the first time.

Bottle-feeding and bonding with baby. Some parents fear that if they bottle-feed, they will not bond with baby. There are ways to bottle-feed a baby that can help develop a closer bond between parent and child. Try the following ideas.

• Snuggle baby close to you during feeding. Look into her eyes while you talk or sing to her.
• Find a comfortable place to feed, such as a rocking chair.
• Heat formula to body temperature.
• Remove the bottle during feeding to let baby rest.
• Don’t leave the baby alone with the bottle.

Types of formulas available. There isn’t much difference among the brands of regular formula available. Most babies do well on milk-based formula. Ask your pediatrician about the type of formula you should feed your baby. Some formulas are iron-fortified. A baby needs iron for normal growth.

Bottle-fed babies take from 2 to 5 ounces of formula at a feeding.

In addition, some specialized types of formula are available, but they are for babies with special needs. Use these only when your pediatrician advises it. Special formulas available on the market today include

• milk-based, lactose-free formula fed to babies with problems, such as fussiness, gas and diarrhea, caused by lactose intolerance
• soy-based, lactose-free formula for babies with cow’s-milk allergies or sensitivity to cow’s milk
• hypoallergenic protein formula, called predigested cow’s milk, which is easier to digest and lactose-free for babies with colic or symptoms of milk-protein allergy

Goat’s milk. Some parents ask about goat’s milk in an infant’s diet—it once was used with fussy babies because we believed it was easier to digest. We now advise parents not to give their baby goat’s milk. Similar to cow’s milk, goat’s milk has a high protein concentration, which may make it harder for baby to digest.

Other bottle-feeding facts. Today we know it’s better to feed a baby with a slanted bottle. The slanted design keeps the nipple full of milk, which means baby takes in less air while feeding. Swallowing air can be a cause of discomfort to baby and contribute to gassiness. A slanted bottle also helps ensure baby is sitting up to drink. When a baby drinks lying down, milk can pool in the Eustachian tube in the ear and can cause ear infections.

Burping is necessary. Burp baby after every feeding to help her get rid of excess air. See the discussion of Burping in Week 2. Some babies require burping during a feeding.

Is baby getting enough formula? You’ll know baby’s getting enough formula if she has six to eight wet diapers a day. She may have one or two bowel movements, too.

Stools of a bottle-fed baby are greener in color than a breastfed baby’s and more solid. If your baby poops after a feeding, it’s caused by the gostrocolic reflex. This reflex causes squeezing of the intestines when the stomach is stretched, as with feeding. It is very pronounced in newborns and usually decreases by 2 or 3 months of age.

If you notice any blood or mucus in baby’s stools during these first few weeks, it may be an indication of a milk-protein sensitivity. Usually a little blood in the stools and occasional fussiness are the only symptoms. These symptoms disappear when baby is put on a hypoallergenic formula. Discuss the problem with your baby’s doctor if these symptoms appear.

If baby doesn’t want a feeding, don’t force it. Try again in a couple of hours. However, if she refuses two feedings in a row, contact your pediatrician. She may be ill.

If Baby Chokes on Formula or Breast Milk

Occasionally a baby chokes on formula, breast milk or mucus. It’s a common occurrence and one you can handle easily. When it happens, turn baby’s head to the side and put her head a little lower than her body. If you need to, use a cloth, your clean finger or a bulb syringe to help clear any fluid from her mouth.

Bottle-fed babies often swallow air when feeding, so feed your baby in a semisitting position.
This helps prevent air from getting in the stomach.

Bathing Baby

By the third week, baby’s umbilical cord has fallen off, and it’s time to give baby her first real bath. You may be feeling a little apprehensive about it—it’s kind of scary holding a slippery little body. With practice, you’ll be a pro, and this may become a favorite time with baby.

How often? You may hear conflicting advice about how often to bathe baby. Some experts suggest 2 or 3 times a week is enough. Others say a daily bath helps keep sensitive skin from drying out. Some suggest once a week! If you have questions about your baby’s bathing schedule, discuss them with your pediatrician.

What you’ll need. To begin the bath-time ritual, gather everything you’ll need in one place. Once you put baby in the water, you can’t step away or be distracted for even a second! Have towels, baby shampoo, soap and a washcloth at hand. To help keep baby from slipping, put a large terry towel or foam insert in the tub. Fill the tub {a baby tub or the kitchen sink) with a few inches of warm water. Be sure it’s not too hot. Test it with your elbow or the back of your hand.

Putting baby in the bath. Undress baby. Slip your left hand under her shoulder. Place your thumb over her left shoulder and your fingers under her left armpit. Support her bottom with your right hand. Lower her into the water. Begin by washing her face, then work down her little body. Clean her genital area from front to back to avoid infections. Keep wiping warm water over your baby’s body as you wash her to keep her warm.

Shampoo. Once you’ve washed her, it’s time to shampoo. You only need to do this once or twice a week, not every time you bathe her. Wash her hair with a small amount of baby shampoo to making rinsing it out easier. Using a small plastic cup or your hand, rinse her head. Pour water from the forehead back to avoid getting it on her face or in her eyes.

Pat her dry. As soon as you’ve finished, lift her out and wrap her in a towel. Pat her body and her head with the towel to dry her. Patting dry is gentler on her skin than rubbing. Follow with a moisturizer if her skin is dry or if you live in a very dry climate. Diaper and dress her quickly to avoid a chill.

When baby is cold, small veins show through her skin, and her feet and hands may look blue. Add some clothes or a blanket for warmth.

Cleaning Baby’s Ears

Your baby’s ears will produce earwax, just as yours do. This is a normal bodily process, and you don’t need to do much about it. Earwax is a mixture of dead skin cells and glandular secretions. It helps protect baby’s eardrum and ear canal from foreign substances.

Earwax usually falls out on its own. Do not stick any type of swab into your baby’s ear canal to remove wax buildup. You can clean the outer opening of the ear with a washcloth, but don’t try to clean inside the ear.

Dressing Baby for Outings

You’ll be taking your baby out and about more now. Dressing her for the climate might cause you some concern. It’s best to judge what she needs by how you feel. Usually in cold weather, add one more layer than you are wearing. In warm or hot weather, she can wear the same number of layers you are. Be aware: When you live in hot climates, you may need to keep a blanket near for colder, indoor air-conditioned temperatures.

“Baby Wearing”

“Baby wearing” is a way of carrying your baby in some type of carrier against the front of your body, close to you. It’s a wonderful way to bond with baby because of the physical closeness it provides. It may also encourage brain growth.

A baby can learn a great deal being carried this way. She can see what you see (partially). She can hear conversations. She can feel rhythmic movements when you walk. She can feel your heart beat, which may calm and settle her. It’s a wonderful way to expose her safely to the world around her. Also see the discussion in Week 4 of front carriers.

Baby Massage

Your baby will enjoy a relaxing massage—it’s tough to be a newborn! Research has shown that massaging your baby every day can improve her digestion and sleep. It can also help muscle development.

Choose a warm spot so baby won’t be cold. With baby dressed only in a diaper, place her on a towel or in your lap. Begin by making eye contact; smile and coo at baby. Using firm, gentle strokes, make little circles around her head. Don’t use oil on her face or head. Smooth her forehead by placing both hands at the center and gently stroking outward. Make little circles with your fingertips around her jaw. Warm some oil ,in your hands, then stroke her chest.
Massage her hands (you’ll need to open them), then roll each arm gently between your two hands.
Stroke her tummy. Move down to her legs and feet; massage each between your two hands. Turn her onto her stomach, and massage her back. Use long strokes from her shoulders to her buttocks.

Keep your massage to 15 minutes or less. Longer may be too much for a young infant.

Milestones This Third Week

Baby Is Accomplishing Much

Baby is adapting to her place in the family, just as you are adapting to her in your lives. She is accomplishing many things by this third week. She can focus her attention on one quiet activity and shut out other stimuli. She lifts her head for a few seconds, and she turns her head from side to side when she’s on her tummy. She adjusts her body posture to cuddle into someone holding her. She may be settling into a regular feeding schedule.

Your Baby Needs to Suck

Sucking is satisfying to baby. Many babies require more sucking than feeding time allows. Sucking is also comforting to her. Because she may not be able to find her mouth easily to suck on a finger or thumb, offer her a pacifier, if you haven’t already done so.

Soothe Your Baby

You may find you can help soothe your baby by providing her with your personal scent. Let her smell something that you have worn or had near you that has your fragrance (it doesn’t have to be perfume) on it. Having something close to her with a familiar scent can help calm a fussy baby.

Baby Likes to Watch Faces

Your baby may be making more eye contact with you. When you hold her in your arms and talk or sing to her, you are inviting her to focus on you. You’ll find she’ll make eye contact for up to 10 seconds, and she’ll quiet to stare at a face. She’ll gaze at her mother’s face longer than anyone else’s. In addition to faces, you might introduce new, bold-patterned objects to look at, such as a bull’s eye, bold stripes or a checkerboard.

You’ll notice that baby is turning her head more from side to side to track a moving object. However, her eyes may cross when she’s focusing on something due to lack of good muscle control. Soon this will disappear.

What’s Happening This Third Week?

Your baby continues to adjust to her new life outside the womb. She sleeps about 16 to 18 hours a day, but her schedule may be erratic. She probably sleeps only 3 to 4 hours before she wakens again. Her periods of sleep and wakefulness follow no pattern, so you can’t depend on any time of day when she’ll be sleeping. A reason for this is your baby’s need to eat. Her stomach is small and can’t hold a lot of food. Her tummy’s like an alarm clock—she wakes up when she’s hungry and she sleeps when she’s full.

An Exciting Time for Dad

For a man, attachment to his newborn can be strong and deep. The experience of becoming a father can be emotional. Studies show that when a father is involved with his child’s care from birth, he continues to be involved in the child’s life as she grows up.

Encourage father to care for his baby. Bathing, diapering, feeding, holding, comforting—all are tasks a father can perform. Divide tasks as logically as you can, and work together in caring for your child. Trust in each other’s abilities as a parent.

Research has shown that a woman can help her partner become more involved in parenting by sharing her feelings with him and asking for his help. This is a time of great change for the family. A father’s involvement means sharing the responsibility and easing a mother’s burden.

A Common Birthmark

Stork bites, angel kisses or salmon patches are all names for a type of birthmark your baby may have. It is usually a flat pink blotch on the forehead near her nose, on her eyelid or at the nape of her neck. No treatment is necessary; it usually disappears by age 1.

Her tummy’s like an alarm clock-she wakes up when she’s hungry and she sleeps when she’s full.

You may be a first-time parent who has never been around newborns before. You may get lots of advice. However, you deal with your baby every day. You know her best. So after you’ve listened to everyone else, listen to yourself. Trust your instincts!

Babies cry. Your baby will cry—it’s natural and expected. A newborn may cry as much as 3 hours a day, or more. It’s your baby’s only way of communicating with you. Your baby will cry to tell you she’s hungry, wet, tired, bored or upset.

As you get to know your baby, you’ll know what her crying means because each of her cries is different. You’ll be able to tell when something’s wrong. Her crying will be different in some way. It may be piercing or uncontrollable or prolonged. Trust your instincts. If you are still concerned about your baby’s crying, call your pediatrician.

Your baby will lose some weight. Babies are born with extra fluid to get them through the first 3 to 5 days after birth, whether or not they feed. Your little one will lose some of the fluids she was born
with. And after the trauma of birth, she isn’t too interested in eating. These two situations contribute to baby’s weight loss. A baby loses 10% of her body weight by the third day following birth. If you breastfeed your baby, her weight loss might be a little more because it takes awhile for your breast milk to come in. Within a week after birth, your baby will start gaining weight.

If baby hasn’t regained her birth weight by her 2-week checkup or if she loses more than 10% of her body weight in the first 3 days after birth, your doctor may suggest you also offer her formula, if you are breastfeeding.

Spitting up is normal. Don’t be surprised or worried if baby spits up. In a newborn, the muscle that closes the opening to the stomach may be underdeveloped. This allows breast milk or formula to come back up. Baby really isn’t spitting up a lot, no matter how it looks.
If you’re bottle-feeding, be sure baby is sitting semi-upright when you feed her. You might want to use a slanted bottle to reduce the amount of air she takes in.

With bottle-feeding and breastfeeding, burp her several times during a feeding. Hold her or sit her upright after a feeding for a little bit. This helps keep the food down.
Call your pediatrician if baby vomits a lot. See the discussion of spitting up in Week 2, and of vomiting in Weeks 3 and 24.

Baby will have some rashes. Most babies have a rash or rashes during their first few weeks of life. Baby acne, milia, cradle cap, bumps and pimples are common. These rashes occur because the mother’s estrogen is still circulating through baby’s body. Rashes soon disappear, so you don’t need to do anything about them. See the discussions of the various skin conditions in Weeks 1 and 2.

If baby has a rash that oozes, call your pediatrician. Call if a rash worsens with simple treatment. These are not common and should be treated by your baby’s doctor.

When baby coughs and sneezes. Your baby will cough and sneeze to clear her nasal passages of mucus, dust and other irritants. When she coughs and sneezes, it’s probably nof a sign of illness. It’s the only way she has to clear her airways. Don’t be concerned unless she also has a fever or is congested and these interfere with her eating or sleeping. If this occurs, call your pediatrician.

Her belly button looks like it hurts. When you bring baby home from the hospital, her belly button probably has a black stump that looks shriveled. You may wonder if you should clean the stump because you believe it will hurt baby. However, the stump of the umbilical cord has no nerve endings. It won’t hurt baby if you clean it.

Wipe the belly-button area with alcohol after each diaper change. Give baby a sponge bath until it falls off, within 2 to 4 weeks. If the cord stump doesn’t fall off after 4 weeks, contact your pediatrician. He or she will want to know about it.

Baby’s bowel movements. What’s normal for one baby may not be normal for another baby. It all depends on what your baby eats and how her body processes her food.

If you bottle-feed your baby, she may move her bowels two or three times a day. Her stools may have the consistency of soft ice cream and be brownish in color. As the weeks pass, she may have fewer bowel movements as her system matures.

If you breastfeed baby, she may have loose, yellow, mustardlike stools. She may have a bowel movement after every feeding. Some breastfed babies pass stools less often. It’s not unusual for them to go a day or two, or as long as 4 days, without a bowel movement, then have a huge one.

A change in baby’s normal bowel routine could be a sign that she has a problem. Call your doctor if you are concerned. Always contact your pediatrician if baby’s stools are more watery than normal for more than a couple of bowel movements or if you notice any blood in the stool.

Colic

What is it? Colic is a condition in which a baby has episodes of sudden, loud crying and fussiness that often last for hours. About 20% of all infants experience colic, which usually appears about 2 weeks after birth and can last until baby is 3 or 4 months old. A colic attack often occurs at night and can last up to 4 hours. Baby may draw her knees to her chest, pass gas and flail her arms. Her tummy muscles may feel hard. An attack stops as suddenly as it starts. It may help you to know colic is not harmful to your baby.

Why does it happen? Although a great deal of research has been conducted on the cause of colic, we have little understanding of why it occurs. Theories include:

• immaturity of the baby’s digestive system, also called gastroesophageol reflux (GER)
• sensitivity to or intolerance of cow’s-milk protein in formula or breast milk
• fatigue in the infant
• some foods a mother eats, if she breastfeeds

What to do. At this time, we can’t offer an effective treatment for colic. Don’t give baby any type of medication to relieve pain or to stop cramping. They could cause additional problems. You can try the following at home to help ease baby’s discomfort during an attack.

• Offer baby the breast or bottle.
• If you bottle-feed, try a formula that is not based on cow’s milk. Talk to your pediatrician before making any changes.
• Carry baby in a front sling during an attack. The closeness and motion often help soothe baby.
• Offer baby a pacifier.
• Place baby across your knees on her stomach, and rub her back.
• Swaddle baby.
• Massage baby’s tummy.

Try to stay calm and relaxed. If your baby shows signs of colic, discuss the situation with your pediatrician. A baby’s incessant crying can cause parents a great deal of stress, so take care of yourself, too. Take turns staying with baby during an attack. Ask a family member or friend to baby-sit for an evening. Take heart—colic will disappear soon.

Penis Inflammation (Balanitis)

What it is. If your son was circumcised, you may notice redness, swelling, pus or bleeding from the circumcision site. This usually occurs during the first week following circumcision. It indicates the area may be slightly infected, so you may need to take steps to deal with the infection.

What to do. Gently clean the red or inflamed area with a mild soap and warm water. Don’t use alcohol because it could sting. Try to keep the area clean and dry. Change baby as soon as he is wet.

When to call the doctor. Contact baby’s doctor if bleeding is constant or heavy, or if there is pus or discharge. Your baby’s doctor will determine a course of treatment. Antibiotic gels or creams may be prescribed to deal with the infection. Follow the doctor’s instructions closely. Clean the area as directed by your doctor.

Projectile Vomiting

What it is. Babies often spit up or vomit a little. It takes time for their digestive tracts to function normally. Spitting up is discussed in Week 2. However, some babies experience recurrent or forceful vomiting, called projectile vomiting. Symptoms of the problem include forceful ejection of milk, formula, food or medications, water or anything baby swallows. The problem may have several different causes, including illness (flu) or ingestion of food or medication.

What to do. If your baby experiences forceful vomiting, make sure she doesn’t choke on the vomit. Discontinue giving her food or any medication.

Call your baby’s doctor. Any treatment your doctor recommends will be centered around the symptoms your baby displays, such as gastroenteritis or an allergy to food or medication.

Advisory for parents: Your baby does not have this problem if she spits up a little or vomits once in a while. She must vomit forcefully, projecting stomach contents a fair distance, such as a couple of feet.

Toys and Play This Third Week

You’ll find that as baby stays awake longer, you have more time for fun and games. She’s beginning to respond a little more. It’s enjoyable for you to see her alertness grow and her interaction wit you and others become more active.

Note: Watch baby closely when you interact with her. You’l’ be able to tell she’s had enough when she looks away, squirms, gel fussy, kicks, yawns or seems unhappy in some other way.

Talk to Baby in “Parentese” and Call Her by Name

When you play with baby, vary your tone of voice. Talk in “parentese,” a high-pitched, singsong tone of voice; she’ll love it. Research shows it serves a purpose, too. It helps speed an infant’s ability to recognize connections between objects and words.

This week, physical contact continues to be very important. Hold baby in your arms, or sit on the floor and hold her in your lap. Look into her eyes and say her name. Vary the tone you use. Make up rhymes using her name. Use her name in the place of another name while you softly sing a funny song. Say her name often so she’ll recognize it.

Play Vision Games

It’s never too early to start playing vision games!

Flashlight game. In a dimly lit room, turn on a flashlight, and move its beam back and forth in front of baby. (Never shine the light into her eyes!) Watch her eyes to see if she tracks the light. This exercise helps her develop muscles needed to follow moving objects.

Crib pictures. From magazines or other sources, cut out bright, simple pictures with bold, contrasting colors, like a picture of the sun or a human face. Prop a picture against the side of the crib for a bit. Move it slowly to the other side so she moves her head to see it. (Don’t leave the picture in the crib when you leave the room.) Special infant safety mirrors, which can be permanently attached to the side of the crib, can also add excitement as she catches sight of herself.

Say your baby’s name often so she’ll begin to recognize it.

Help Her Tone Muscles

Bicycle exercise. While baby is lying on her back, grasp her feet and gently move her legs in a circular motion, like riding a bike. This exercise encourages toning of muscles and exposes her to rhythm. A couple of minutes is long enough for this interaction.

Put Baby in the Middle of Things

Although you might not think of it as a game, it’s beneficial and fun for baby to be part of the family’s interaction every day. Carry her in a front sling as you move around the house, or let her sit in her infant chair as the family eats together. Everyone will enjoy it, including baby.

Keep your baby from getting your cold by washing your hands before touching her. Make sure other family members do the same.