Baby Care Guide

Safety

• Support baby's head and neck with your hand or arm under his neck
• Always buckle baby into rear facing infant seat secured in back seat
• Never shake a baby for any reason. Infants are susceptible to "shaken baby syndrome" serious injury or death can occur as a result of being shaken.
• Do not engage in physical or dangerous activities or cook with a baby in a carrier.
• Never leave an infant seat unattended on an elevated surface such as a table or counter top.
• Do not handle hot items (soup, coffee, etc) while holding baby.
• Never leave baby unattended in carriers, swings, baby seats, stroller or items.
• Never leave baby for any reason when near water.
• Place baby on back or side for sleep on firm mattress without pillows, heavy blanket, or large stuffed toys.
• Never take your hands or eyes off baby while on changing table.

Feeding the newborn serves needs that are physical and emotional. Time spent with baby during feeding provides an opportunity for bonding as well as nutrition. Formula fed babies typically take 2 to 3 ounces every three to four hours increasing to 4 ounces per feeding by one month. Your pediatrician will address needs for special formula if necessary and information is available to adoptive parents who choose to breast feed their adoptive child. Solid foods will be introduced at approximately six months of age and will be discussed during well baby visits with your health care provider. Babies need to burp during feeding in order to expel air swallowed during feeding. There are several positions used for burping: Upright- with head cradled on your shoulder and his bottom resting on your forearm. Sitting on your lap- facing to either side. Lay baby on tummy, on your lap. Pat your baby's back gently for a few seconds while you steady him with other hand.

Bathing the newborn may be an intimidating experience at first but can prove to be a favorite activity over time if you hang in there. Newborns will need to lose their umbilical cord stump before enjoying a tub bath. Sponge baths are an excellent introduction for both babies and parents.

Sponge Baths:

• Gather all supplies before starting bath- fill basin with warm water.
• Undress baby and wrap him in towel on padded surface exposing only the area you are working with at one time.
• Wet washcloth with warm water (no soap) Wipe eyes from inside corner to outside corner and pat face dry.
• Wash baby's neck, face chest, arms, and legs with warm water and mild soap, rinse and pat dry.
• Lay baby on stomach and wash his neck back and legs, rinse and pat dry.
• Bundle baby in towel and hold using one arm to support head and neck. Cradle baby over basin to shampoo, rinse and pat dry with towel.
• Remove diaper and wash diaper area (no soap on newly circumcised penis) Rinse with washcloth wiping front to back and pat dry.

Tub Baths:

• Gather supplies before starting water. Use small towel or bath sponge to prevent slipping. Add just a few inches of warm water.
• Cradle baby and gently slide him into water supporting head with one hand or arm under neck. Do not move arm away while bathing.
• Start with eyes as with sponge bath and work to diaper area.
• Shampoo last and wrap in dry towel immediately.

Umbilical Cord Care
Your health care provider will typically advise you on cord care.
Keep area around the umbilical cord stump clean and dry by wiping with a clean cotton swap. Fold the diaper so that it does not rub or irritate the stump. Wait for tub bathing until cord falls off. Report signs of: bleeding, redness, discharge, swelling or odor to doctor.

Circumcision Care
Your doctor will discuss follow up care for circumcision after procedure is completed. The most important fact to remember is that tub bathing will need to wait until the circumcision is healed and the umbilical cord stump has fallen off. Special instruction will also be given with regard to diaper changes.
Sleep is a commodity when a newborn arrives. You can expect your newborn to sleep an average of 16 ½ hours per day at first with the need to feed every 2-3 hours. That number of hours decreases over the next few months and in a couple of months he may settle into a pattern of daytime naps and four to six hour stretches during the night…or not.
The atmosphere of comfort, bathing, and bedtime rituals such as soft music, lower lighting and rocking promise to provide enjoyment for both baby and parents. These are the moments that memories are made of.

Growth and Development are subjects that cover chapters and books We have included a separate section on growth and development due to the extensive nature of this subject. Growth guidelines are also addressed during each visit with your health care team. They are measured in percentiles of height and weight and are tracked to insure that your baby is thriving. As adoptive parents, it is important to share any pertinent information about the medical history of your child's birth parents with your doctor. It becomes easy to forget that you haven't given birth to your child over time. Issues that are significant about his health history and biological history need to be shared in your visits with the pediatrician and dentist. Your child's growth will be monitored and his development noted with each visit. Babies develop skills at different rates while falling into categories that allow them to be evaluated.

Call the Doctor according to the guidelines provided by your health care provider. General guidelines are:

• Fever over 100 (degrees) F
• Difficulty breathing
• Repeated vomiting
• Persistent diarrhea
• Blood in urine or stool
• Disinterest in feeding/ baby is lethargic
• High pitched crying inconsolability
• Rash
• Yellow/ orange skin or eyes
• Unusual discharge from eyes, nose, ears, navel, genitals

Talking about adoption with your child. Explaining the miracle that has brought you together as a family can seem to be a story too awesome for words. There are books to explore about the gift of adoption written for adults and children, articles to read, poetry to enjoy (see Adoption Poetry.com). There are many theories and opinions about when and how to share the story of your child's adoption. There are articles on the subject contained in the Adoption.com library, books available through AdoptionProducts.com.

The fact that your family has been built through adoption should be discussed openly and cannot be covered in one conversation. One area where the experts agree is timing- the sooner the better age three to four seems to be the youngest age that a child can understand the concept of being born to a mother other than you. It is suggested that the information be simple and positive. Children love to hear their adoption story. Here are a few suggestions about what to include:

• How thrilled you were went you heard about your child.
• Songs or poetry your family shared while waiting
• What you thought about the first time you saw your child.
• The celebrations your family shared after your child arrived.
• The first days after your child came home to join the family.I created a book for my child with pictures of him and a story that told about my expectations and dreams and how he surpassed every one. He was so proud of his book that he took it to every "sharing" day at school for years.

In The Psychology of Adoption, psychologist David Brodzinsky explains the process: "They generally are told about being adopted in the context of a warm, loving, and protective environment. Thus the emotional climate surrounding the telling process is one which fosters acceptance and positive self-regard." Take care to provide your child with adequate information about his adoption without talking about it constantly. Your child will give you cues when "enough is enough". Adoptive children need balance in the area of the adoption discussion and will let you know when they are at risk for overload.