Boy, there sure is a lot to do and think about, isn’t there? From the standpoint of your baby’s health, there are a few things to consider before the baby is born. Don’t worry; if you have already had your baby, it’s not too late to do these things!
Choose your baby’s doctor/pediatrician
In most cases, if you are reading this, then you have already chosen us as your pediatrician! We are thankful for the trust you have placed in us and for the opportunity to care for your baby and your family. If for some reason you have not yet chosen a pediatrician, we have included a discussion of this topic on our website.
Collect necessary items/what you need to have
Now is a good time to buy all the things you will need to have when you bring the baby home. In addition to lots of diapers (babies use 6 or more diapers a day), wipes, cloths, and onesies, what do you need medically? Not very much:
- You need a rectal thermometer. This is the only reliable way to take a baby’s temperature. It can be traditional or digital; either one works fine.
- You may want some cotton swabs, cotton balls, and rubbing alcohol for cleaning the baby’s belly button (see cord care).
- You should also have petroleum jelly (Vaseline) and diaper rash cream on hand.
- The hospital should give you a nasal bulb syringe to use when you leave the hospital. If not, you can purchase one at a drug store.
- Infant nail clippers
- Mild baby soap and shampoo
- A baby tub
- An infant or convertible car seat. For more information, see car seats.
Decide on circumcision
This is really a personal and/or cultural decision more than a medical one. In many cases a boy will want to be like his father, and this may influence your decision. From a medical standpoint, there is good evidence that circumcision reduces the risk of urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and a form of cancer. However, the risk reduction is not high enough to say that all boys should be circumcised for these reasons. For now, this decision should be based on personal, cultural, and/or religious reasons.
Decide whether to breastfeed or formula feed your baby (what to feed your baby)
Breast feeding is by far the best thing for your baby (and for mom’s health as well), even if mom is able to do it only for a short period of time. Any amount of breast feeding is beneficial (to both baby and mother), even if it is for only a few days. All moms should at least try to breast feed at first and see how it goes. Most hospitals have good breastfeeding support and consultants to help you get started. For more information see the section on feeding.
Think about schedule vs. demand feeding (how and when to feed your baby)
Most parents are concerned about feeding schedules because they want their babies to sleep through the night as soon as possible. They are also often concerned about whether caring for the baby will consume their entire waking lives, with the baby needing constant attention, holding, rocking, and feeding. Babies do need a lot of attention and care, but they can also fit into their family’s routine, and most babies do not need constant attention. The question of how and when to feed your baby often actually extends beyond infant feeding to an entire baby parenting philosophy, with some people believing that babies need and should get constant attention, and others not. I have found that most parents want to nurture their babies and find a reasonable way for the baby to fit into their lives and routine.
There are basically two extremes when it comes to how and when to feed your baby: there is the strict, regimented, schedule feeding camp (“schedule feeding” or “parent-directed feeding”), and the “feed-your-baby-whenever-it-cries” camp (“demand feeding” or “attachment parenting”). The answer, like most things in life, lies somewhere in the middle, and it varies from family to family and baby to baby.
In my experience, most babies put themselves on a schedule within the first two weeks or so, feeding every 2-3 hours for the first week or two and then about every 3 hours after that. I have also seen many babies that are fussy and have difficulty sleeping during the day and/or night, and many of these babies do much better when put onto a schedule. In general, feeding on a flexible schedule seems to work best for both infant and mother (and the rest of the family too). Infants should be a welcomed addition to a family and should fit into the family’s needs, schedule, and routine, as should any member of the family. Very often a mother has other demands on her time, including taking care of other young children, and the entire family’s schedule and lifestyle does not have to completely change in order to revolve around a new baby. (And certainly as a whole parenting philosophy, toddlers and young children who think the whole family is there to serve them and that the world revolves around them tend to have a lot of unpleasant behavior problems). While babies cannot be spoiled or loved too much, it is well known that infants can be trained to have to have certain things in order to fall asleep, like a feeding (“trained night feeders”) or holding or attention (“trained night criers”).
On the other hand, parenting is all about servanthood, and babies need lots of serving, attention, affection, and nurturing. They are innocent and helpless and completely dependent on their parents. A mother and a family have to lay aside personal wishes and desires and needs in order to love and to serve their baby. Babies cry to communicate their needs, and a mother’s natural desire is to nurture and to protect her child and to provide for his needs. Mothers and babies need a lot of closeness, attachment, and bonding. And nobody, certainly not babies, regulates all of their bodily functions by a clock. Mothers (and fathers) should not simply lay aside their maternal instincts and desires to nurture and to care for their babies simply for the sake of a schedule.
The key is flexibility, not to be too rigid, and go with your instincts. You may be aiming to feed every 3 hours; if it has been 2 hours and 50 minutes and the baby is screaming with hunger, it is OK to feed the baby! On the other hand, most healthy babies need to eat only about every 3 hours and crying between feedings is likely to be something other than hunger, unless the baby is going through a growth spurt. Anyway, you get the idea. Relax, and be flexible. There is no absolutely right or wrong answer when it comes to feeding schedules (or parenting philosophies). There are some true principles, but the application of those principles may be different for each family. Take some time to read and to learn, and to consider what fits in best with your experiences and beliefs. Whatever you decide, be prepared for your baby to have his own ideas about the way things should be done!
Do some reading on general newborn care
This guidebook is a great place to start! Other sources can be found in the suggested resources section. If is good to have references on hand so that you have them when questions arise (often in the middle of the night!).
Summary
These are the most important things you can do to get ready for your baby’s arrival: be sure you have chosen a pediatrician, and gather the baby care supplies you will need. You should also decide how you want to feed the baby and learn about breastfeeding if you plan to breastfeed your baby. Thinking about how you want to arrange your schedule is also helpful. With a little preparation, you can feel more confident about your baby’s impending arrival.
