For most people, how to take care of a baby is an important life lesson. Especially for newborn babies, who need the careful care of their parents. Each cry, howl, and movement represents their physiological needs. Babies communicate their needs through crying and micromotion. This requires novice parents to learn to observe and understand their babies’ crying and micromotion, especially at night. Parents need to pay more special attention to their babies’ every move to avoid accidents. Here are some tips for novice parents.
Provide a safe sleep environment for babies
When your baby sleeps, make sure they lie on a flat, clean, warm, and debris-free bed without any soft toys or thick quilts. At the same time, use a breathable and safe sleeping bag to keep your baby warm and avoid using blankets or quilts. In addition, to ensure that the room temperature is appropriate, generally speaking, the room temperature should be between 18-20 ℃ when the baby sleeps.
Establish a regular work and rest schedule
Babies typically require 16 to 18 hours of sleep, so it is important to establish a regular sleep schedule. Make sure to start the baby’s sleep process at the same time in the evening to help him establish stable sleep habits.
Don’t panic too much when your baby is crying
The sound of a baby crying at night can make parents feel uneasy and troubled, but it is essential to remain calm and quickly find and solve problems. The cause of a baby’s crying may be hunger, eczema, oral discomfort, or other problems. If your baby is hungry, try feeding him or providing him with appropriate food. If the baby feels unwell, try changing diapers, wiping, or massaging the baby. If the baby’s crying cannot be relieved, consider going to the hospital or making an emergency call.
Use a Baby monitor
In recent years, data from some countries indicate that the proportion of SIDS(sudden infant death syndrome) in neonatal deaths has increased year by year. Data released by the CDC in the United States in December 2021 indicate that SIDS, which ranks among the top three causes of neonatal death, has an upward trend.
Generally, the most common occurrence of SIDS in babies occurs at night. SIDS usually occur when a baby is sleeping, and in most cases, the baby dies while sleeping, so nighttime is the most common time. In fact, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most SIDS deaths occur between 10 p.m. and 10 a.m.
Consequently, when looking after a baby at night, a baby monitor can help parents keep track of their baby’s condition. For instance, the baby monitor can monitor the baby’s breathing, sleep, and movement, and alert parents when needed.
Keep the room quiet and dark
When the baby sleeps, make sure the room is quiet and dark. Turn off the TV, stereo, and other noise sources to avoid sudden light and noise interfering with your baby’s sleep. When changing diapers or coaxing babies at night, it is also important to keep the room as quiet and dark as possible.
Don’t hug and sleep
Although hugging a baby to sleep may make it fall asleep quickly, it can also become a bad sleep habit. Although it may be difficult, try to avoid cuddling and let the baby gradually learn to fall asleep on its own.
Epilogue
When looking after your baby at night, remember to be patient and careful. Following the above care guidelines can help novice parents take better care of their baby’s sleep and promote their baby’s healthy growth. At the same time, if you have any questions or confusion, be sure to seek the advice and assistance of a professional doctor or another childcare expert in a timely manner.
