Caring for Your Baby

Holding your baby for the first time is a very special feeling. Even though you have been carrying your baby for 9 months, it will take time to get to know each other.


 What to Do When Your Baby Cries

Crying is a natural reaction for babies. They typically have 1 to 2 hours of unexplained crying scattered throughout each day for the first 3 months of life. Make sure baby’s basic needs are met when they are crying. If they have been changed and fed and don’t have a fever, try to soothe or comfort them.

Ways To Comfort a Crying Baby

  • Hold your baby. You can’t spoil them by holding them too much.
  • Quietly talk or sing to your baby. Play some music or turn on a sound machine.
  • Gently rock or walk around with your baby.
  • Sucking helps calm babies so try a pacifier. For breastfed babies, a pacifier is fine to use once baby is successfully feeding.
  • Wrap your baby snugly in a blanket with their arms inside. This is called swaddling.

Never Shake a Crying Baby

If you or your baby's caregivers are frustrated, calmly put baby down in a safe place such as a crib. Call family and friends and say you need help. Go for a walk, read a magazine or watch TV until you feel ready. Never shake a baby. Their neck muscles are too weak to support their head. Shaking can cause serious injury and death. Always leave your infant with a trusted caregiver when away. If you feel overwhelmed more often than not, talk to your healthcare provider or care manager.

It will take time for you to get to know your baby, and what they need and when. But if you feel overwhelmed more often than not, you can ask for help. Talk to your healthcare provider or call your care manager. They can talk you through some ideas that might help. And guide you to resources to get you feeling better.



 What to Do About Teething

It is important to start good oral care early. Once you see your baby’s first tooth, clean it with a soft toothbrush and a tiny bit (rice grain size) of fluoride toothpaste twice per day. Most babies start getting teeth by 6 months old.

What Helps?

  • Rubbing your baby’s gums gently with a clean finger.
  • Pacifiers or firm rubber teethers.
  • Medications that you rub on gums don’t usually work and can cause harm if the baby swallows too much.
  • Talk to your baby’s healthcare provider if nothing is working. Teething may not be the cause of the symptoms.

Signs Of Teething

  • Drooling.
  • Fussiness.
  • Biting hard on things.
  • Swollen and tender gums.

Preventing Cavities

  • Make your baby’s first dental appointment when the first tooth appears and by their first birthday.
  • Don’t put your baby to sleep with a bottle. It can cause serious tooth decay.
  • Avoid giving your baby fruit juice, soda and other sugary drinks. Sweet drinks can settle on teeth and cause decay.
  • Talk to your baby’s healthcare provider or dentist about fluoride treatments to prevent cavities.



 How to Keep Your Baby Safe

Home Safety

  • Never leave your baby alone on a changing table, bed, sofa or chair. Keep one hand on your baby at all times. Even newborns can move suddenly and fall. Put baby in a safe place like a crib or playpen when you aren’t able to hold them.
  • Keep small objects like coins, small balls and toys with small parts out of baby’s reach to prevent choking. Safe baby toys have smooth edges and no small parts that can come off.
  • Never leave your baby alone with younger children or pets.
  • Keep your baby away from secondhand smoke. Never smoke in your home or car. Ask smokers to change into fresh clean clothes before holding your baby.
  • Using drugs and alcohol around your baby can limit your ability to parent and put your baby in danger. Talk to your healthcare provider or care manager to find treatment.
  • Lead exposure can cause learning and behavior problems. Young children are most at risk. The biggest sources of lead exposure are paint in homes built before 1978 or contaminated water. Contact your local water company to have your water checked if you live in an older home or you’re worried about your water.

Sun Safety

Any amount of direct sunlight is not safe for your baby. Avoid sun exposure as much as possible for the first 6 months. Only use sunscreen on small areas like the face or hands. Most sunscreens are not safe for babies under 6 months old. The best protection is shade. Make sure your baby is covered by a light blanket if you take a walk. Use the stroller shade in the sun. Talk to your baby’s provider about how to protect your baby’s skin.

Car Safety

Your child must ride in a car safety seat every time they ride in a car. The seat should be rear-facing and in the backseat. The American Academy of Pediatrics says babies should stay rear-facing until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. This information can be found in the manual or on the car seat. You should never leave your baby alone in a car – not even for a minute.

Secondhand Smoke

Secondhand smoke is dangerous, especially for babies. Babies exposed are at higher risk for serious illness and SIDS. They are more likely to get coughs, pneumonia, ear infections, sore throats and worsened asthma. Always keep your baby away from secondhand smoke.