G.C.P PART 1(Good Care Practices) for your new baby.

Good Care Practices for your new baby.

ARTICLE WRITTEN BY Sheila Sudlow of Cheeky Chums.

Prevention is better than cure. In this series of articles we will look at ways you can meet the most basic needs of your baby in order for baby /children to survive. Many, Many parents fail to understand what a baby needs resulting in poor care of their baby plus with past experiences and upbringing may not know what a baby needs and has just been left to get on with it with no help at all. This advice is  to assist any parent needing to know what to do and how in not making same mistakes as I once did or know of others in a similar position plus giving you professional, practical advice in becoming a Better, Most Proud Parent you can look back years down the line.

When you are finally home from hospital with your baby, or after a home birth and the midwives have left you to it to bring up baby, can sometimes feel overwhelming. Especially for the first time mum or a mum who has had a break from having children for a few years.

As a parent, your baby will be totally dependant on you to Survive.

If you imagine a baby bird in its nest, it opens its mouth as if to say feed me and the mother bird comes back time and time again to care for its young. It is born blind and totally helpless and as it grows eventually it flourishes until it is ready to fly the nest and make a new life of its own.

Every day your baby has basic needs which need to be put into place in order for it to grow up fit and healthy emotionally stable,happy and contented.

As a parent you need to make sure your baby is kept

1                    Safe

2                    Has Food/drink

3                    Given Warmth

4                    Made Comfortable

5                    Kept clean

6                    Needs rest and sleep

7                    Stimulation through play

8                    Have love and cuddles.

You also need to make sure your baby gets fresh air and sunshine, perhaps by taking baby out and about in the park for walks in the pram. Plus as your child gets older he/she will need to socialize with other children and adults in order to make new friends.

Meeting your baby’s needs helps baby to build up antibodies to fight possible infections, developing a good, strong immune system. It will also help to prevent known childhood illnesses and future behaviour problems.

When your baby is screaming and you don’t know what to do read through the above points and check to see if you have met all of the basic needs first.

Always consult advice/see a doctor if you think there is something seriously wrong with your baby or baby seems unwell. If you are worried at any time with a baby’s health UK parents can ring the NHS helpline number anytime tel 0845 4647

For example. A baby that hasn’t had its nappy changed for hours and hours will begin to cry, feel uncomfortable, develop a sore bum.Result - One unhappy child, Nappy cream will have to be applied to ease the pain and discomfort of the sore area until the infected area has healed.Result for parent - Neglect to child. You will possibly feel very bad for letting baby manage so long without a changed nappy.” PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”.

IF A BABY IS SICK you may notice            

1                    a high temperature

2                    Excessive sickness not normal to what baby usually brings up when being feed.

3                    Convulsions /fitting

4                    A sunken fontanel

5                    Gone off usual feeds

6                    Drowsy not looking at you in normal way

7                    Nappy less wetter than normal, soiled nappy less than normal stool movement.

8                    Crying seems to have changed i.e. whimpering or high pitched and they cannot be comforted.

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