The Babycenter Essential Guide to Your Baby's First Year: Expert Advice and Mom-to-Mom Wisdom from the World's Most Popular Parenting Website - Softcover

Murray, Linda; McGrail, Anna; Metland, Daphne

Softcover

ISBN 10: 159486411X ISBN 13: 9781594864117

Verlag: Rodale Pr, 2007

Inhaltsangabe

An incomparable guide to every aspect of caring for an infant during the first year, jam-packed with the expert advice and real-world, mom-to-mom wisdom that makes BabyCenter the world's number-one online parenting resource.

First-time moms and dads all share the same concern: Is my baby happy, healthy, and behaving normally? Through extensive research, the trusted editors at BabyCenter, the world's number-one parenting Web site with more than 4 million visitors a month, have created the ultimate bedside companion for new parents. This book (featuring all new content never before seen on the Web site) draws on nonjudgmental voices of BabyCenter's team of advisors and the experiences of millions of parents to paint a detailed, accurate, and helpful picture of a newborn to 12-month-old. In it you'll find:

-step-by-step guides to the "firsts," including first feeding, first diaper change, first bath, and more

-BabyCenter buzz: helpful advice from BabyCenter moms from all walks of life

-Milestone reality checks: results from BabyCenter's exclusive survey of more than 100,000 parents about what really happens when in their baby's development

-Decision guides: pros and cons of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, cloth vs. disposable diapers, and more

-Just for dads: involved dads find all the help they need to truly co-parent from day one

-essential health guide helps anxious new parents spot and treat the most common illnesses of the first year

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

LINDA Murray is the editor-in-chief of BabyCenter.com and coauthor of The BabyCenter Essential Guide to Pregnancy and Birth.

ANNA McGRAIL is the executive editor of BabyCenter Europe/International.

Daphne Metland is the editor-in-chief of BabyCenter Europe/International.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

chapter 1

first meeting

"Unforgettable." That's how most new moms describe the moment when they first hold their babies in their arms. Some moms laugh, some cry, some do both, and a good number are too stunned to do either. How you react will depend on your personality and the circumstances of your baby's delivery.

How soon after delivery will you be able to cuddle your newborn? That varies from mom to mom. Some women--typically those with uneventful vaginal deliveries--get to hold their newborns immediately after delivery (with the cord still attached). But many women, including those who have Caesarean sections, have to wait a few minutes while they or their babies get needed medical attention.

If you're handed your newborn right away, she'll be slippery and wet, and she can get cold quickly, so you both may be covered with a towel or blanket. While you're holding your baby, the nurses will wipe her and put on a covering to help keep her warm. If you have to wait a few moments to hold your baby, she'll probably be brought to you swaddled snuggly in a blanket. Either way, it's surprising how huge your baby will feel to you-- was this new person really inside you just a few minutes ago?

If your baby is adopted, you share one key thing in common with giving birth: In that first meeting with your child, you'll develop an entirely new perspective on life. The world will never look the same.

babycenter® buzz

welcome to the world

"I know that when I finally look into his eyes, it will be like no other moment in my life. I'm really looking forward to that first meeting. I hope that means that we won't have any trouble bonding, because I think we're already almost there."--Leah

"My little guy was born 2 days ago, and I can honestly say I fell in love with him from the moment I saw him. I couldn't even speak without tearing up. I try to hold him close every chance I get because just looking into his little eyes makes me feel more wonderful than anything else I've ever felt."--Jeffrey

"For me, the bond hit after they brought my baby to my room. I kissed his forehead, and he opened his eyes and stared directly into mine. For an instant, it was like we could see into each other's souls. My little boy has me completely hooked on him. I love him more and more with each day that passes!"--Amanda

"My baby arrived 9 weeks prematurely, so I never saw her for 2 weeks as she was really sick and so was I. The first time I saw her, I burst out crying with happiness. I've never felt so much love for anyone in my life. After waiting for the 2 weeks, I thought 'what if she doesn't bond with me?' But as soon as she grabbed my finger tightly with her tiny hand, I knew she knew she was mine!"--Sinead

"As soon as I held my baby boy in my arms, I felt an indescribable love." -- Erin

skin to skin

One of the most important things you can do after your baby is born is spend some time in skin-to-skin contact. Holding your baby close helps you get to know each other. It keeps your baby warm and her temperature, heart rate, and breathing regular. It also calms your baby and makes her feel safe. Your healthcare provider will leave you, your baby, and your partner, as well as any other birth witnesses or supporters, alone for as long as you like. Many men are surprised by how emotional they feel when they finally get to hold their babies in their arms. Even dads who keep it together during labor and delivery and who stay very calm and in control while other people are around start to cry when the three of you are alone together.

wakeful babies, tired moms

Babies often go through a wakeful phase just after birth, opening those big eyes as if taking in every last detail of the strange new world around. Your baby's sight isn't yet well developed, but he may turn and gaze at your face. He can best focus on things about 8 to 15 inches away, the distance from his face to yours when held in your arms.

On the other hand, your baby may be sleepy and unresponsive after the birth, especially if you've had a long labor. The experience was just as tiring for him as it was for you. After he's had some rest, it's time to try skin-to-skin contact again.

If you're exhausted, then no matter how much you've been looking forward to your baby, that initial meeting can seem anticlimactic at first. You may feel too worn out or overwhelmed to get very excited. Don't worry. "Bonding" with a new baby isn't an instant process for everyone. As you get to know your baby and touch, hold, feed, and care for him, your bond will deepen.

help with breathing

It's not uncommon for a newborn to need a little help breathing just after birth. If your baby has trouble making the switch from amniotic fluid to air, medical staff will give her oxygen, and perhaps suction her breathing passages clear of mucus. Chances are she'll need only a few minutes of treatment before being brought back to you.

how newborns look

Newborns aren't the plump, smiling cuties you see in baby magazines. If you're not prepared, some aspects of your baby's appearance may even be alarming. So here's what to expect.

Pointy head. Squeezing through the birth canal gives your baby's head a pointy, almost cone shape. This isn't dangerous or permanent, and it usually disappears within a few days. Babies born by Cesarean section usually have more rounded heads right from the start.

Soft spots on your baby's head. The soft spots (fontanelles) on your baby's head are there to allow the skull to compress enough to fit through the birth canal. The rear fontanelle can take up to 4 months to close, while the front one takes between 9 and 18 months. If your baby doesn't have much hair, a pulse may be visible at the fontanelles. This is normal, and it's often more visible when your baby cries or fusses. By about 18 months, your baby's skull bones will have fused together.

The cord. Before birth, your baby received all the nourishment he needed through the umbilical cord. Once it's cut, the stump of the cord remains attached to your baby. Your baby's doctor will likely remove the plastic clamp used to seal the cut cord after about a day (or it may detach on its own). Within about 1 to 2 weeks, the stump will blacken, dry up, and fall off, leaving behind your baby's belly button, a wonderful reminder of how you were once attached. You needn't do anything special to the stump while it's healing; just keep it dry. Applying alcohol to the stump is no longer considered necessary.

Your baby's skin. If your baby was born early, she may have thin, rather red-looking skin (red because of the blood vessels that show underneath it). Her skin may also be covered with lanugo, a fine, downy hair, and vernix, a cheesy, white substance that protected her skin in the amniotic fluid. Full-term babies usually have only a few traces of vernix in the folds of their skin.

just for dads

welcome to the family

It's not every day your life undergoes such an intense event as the birth of a child (an experience that's no less extraordinary if you're a repeat visitor to the delivery room). But many expectant fathers haven't thought about what happens after their babies are born, so becoming a dad can be a bit of a surprise, not to mention downright overwhelming.

First, the actual birth can be a real eye-opener--literally and figuratively. But if you take a step back and let go of any urge to try to take complete control of the situation (or, for that matter, even to keep your cool), it can be one of the most wonderful events of your life. Fortunately, the delivery room staff will take care of the practical matters, and if you do feel like bursting out in tears of joy, no one is going to mark that down in your permanent record. While many dads feel overwhelmed with love...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Rodale Pr
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2007
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 159486411X
• ISBN 13: 9781594864117
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Auflage: 1
• Anzahl der Seiten: 466
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar