What your baby can do at birth

He can focus his vision and follow moving objects with his eyes, and he prefers to look at some things---such as a face-----rather than others. He can even copy certain movements of his mothers lips and tongue if he is close enough. He will show signs of listening when talked to, particularly by a female. He is able to turn his eyes but not his head, towards the sound. He can distinguish smells; at less than one week old he can recognise his mothers smell. He can communicate by crying --- his first primitive step towards talking. And when you lift him to your shoulder you encourage him to get ready to see and hear things.

How to pick up a baby

A newborn baby may seem delicate, but so long as you take care not to frighten him, and lift him gently but confidently, there is nothing to worry about. Always take care to support his head; he will not be able to support it by himself until he is at least three months old.

1) Talk to the baby and touch him before lifting him so that he knows you are there and is not alarmed. With your right hand, gently, but firmly, take hold of his feet.

2) Bend over and raise the baby's feet just enough so that you can slide your left hand under his bottom and up his spine to the back of his neck.

3) Spread your fingers to support the baby's head and turn your arm so that your left wrist and forearm support his back. Spread your right hand under his bottom and lift slowly, supporting him with your arms and talking to him all the time. 

The bond between mother and baby

There is a disagreement about how soon after birth a bond takes place between a mother and baby and how easily it is disrupted by separation. Certainly some mothers who are unable to be close to their babies for the first few days or weeks have great problems with their feelings towards them for long afterwards. On the other hand, many mothers who have been separated from their children for the same amount of time become as loving as any other parent. Some mothers worry because when the baby is born they do not feel the affection that they thought they would. This may be because they are feeling so tired, sore or confused that all they want is sleep. Whatever the reason, the feeling is common and will nearly always pass as the days and weeks go by. 

Breast feeding----Bottle feeding

It is only during this century that safe artificial baby milk have become available and have presented an alternative to the traditional method of breast feeding. These artificial milks are made by adding water to dried cow's milk powder. Most babies are better off being breast-fed. Breast milk provides more balanced nourishment for the baby and greater protection of his health. Illnesses due to intestinal and respiratory infections are considerably lower in breast-fed ones.

Is restlessness normal during sleep?

Yes. most babies grunt, snort, sigh, whimper and kick when asleep. If the noise disturbs the sleep of you or your partner too much, put the baby in an adjoining room, from which you can hear him cry if he is in distress. When you feel confident to do so, and if you have room, let him have his own room permanently. 

Getting back to normal shape

You do not suddenly return to your normal shape immediately after your baby is born, but, provided you do not overeat, you should do so fairly soon. A greater problem than weight is the stretched muscles of your abdomen, which may make you more flabby there. The muscles will become firmer with time, but this natural process can be speeded up by regular exercise.

Post-Natal Depression

Nearly all women feel tearful, helpless or even frightened for a day or two after delivery. With a few mothers this reaction is more severe and last longer; it is known as post natal depression. The mother becomes confused and cannot cope with her baby's needs, and she also feel shaky, exhausted or generally ill. 

Should I leave a bottle in the baby's bed ?

No. Milk contains 7 per cent sugar, and sugar reacts with bacteria in the mouth to break down tooth enamel. At night when the baby sleeps after each feed he takes, there is no longer, as there is in the day, a free flow of saliva and activity by the mouth to prevent the teeth being bathed in milk for long periods. So the baby's teeth are prone to decay.

Healthy Eating for Infants

Breast milk contains all the nutrients essentials for babies, together with substances that protect the baby from infection. The risk to the baby comes when it is weaned. At about three four months, it needs more than just mother's milk, so weaning foods are added to its diet, gradually replacing milk. At about nine months of age the baby is eating ordinary foods in ground-up form. If the baby is weaned too late, or weaned on food deficient in protein, vitamins or minerals, its growth or general health can suffer.