Caring for an Infant 7.2 and 7.3

Responding to Cries Will not spoil a baby by responding to his/her cries Responding to baby’s cries helps them feel secure Shaken Baby Syndrome Brain damage including impaired cognitive development, cerebral palsy or blindness. Broken bones or injury to the neck and spine Death What should you do if you become frustrated?

Feeding an Infant Babies – cuddling, body contact and encouragement Infants – parents bond with their child 0-6 months Breastmilk or Formula 6 months Watery rice cereal, other thin cereals and strained fruits and vegetables

Bottle-Feeding Never warm a bottle in the microwave Hold baby, don’t prop the bottle up Deprives baby of important physical contact Milk can pool around the gums and cause decay in developing teeth Increased risk of ear infections If the bottle is not finished, throw it away - bacteria

Burping the Baby Babies swallow air as they drink Burp twice during a feeding Common for babies to spit up

Weaning Changing from drinking from the bottle or breast to a cup Usually around the first birthday Self-feeding 8-10 months Finger foods Avoid foods that may get stuck in the throat Raw vegetables, hot dogs, nuts, peanut butter, whole grapes, candy, chips, pretzels, and popcorn Soft foods are best, the kind that break up easily in the mouth

Nutritional Concerns Allergies Key nutrients Adequate amounts of liquid Malnutrition – inadequate nutrition can lead to poor brain development (learning difficulties). Overfeeding can lead to weight problems – bottle feeding Allergies An oversensitivity to a particular common substance that is harmless to most people.

Dressing Baby Dress babies in one more layer of clothing than an older child or an adult would wear. When babies are learning to walk, going barefoot gives them more flexibility at the ankle and allows them to grip the floor with the toes. Choose clothes that are comfortable and easy to put on/off

Bathing a Baby Sponge baths until the umbilical cord stump falls off Portable baby tub (2-3 mon / 2-3 X week) Full-size bathtub only when baby can sit up on their own (7-8 mon) Fill the bathtub and turn water off Test the water temperature with your arm Then, undress baby and place in water Wash face first with clean water Then, hair and body – Babies are SLIPPERY!

Diapering a Baby 12-15 diapers a day Diaper rash – rough red, irritated skin in the diaper area. Never leave a baby alone on a changing table or area they may roll off https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgxsH08vHq8 – Cloth vs Disposable

Health Care Teething, 3-6 months until all baby teen are in at about 20 months Cranky, fuss during meals, drool a lot, low-grade fever and desire to chew on something hard Teeth brushing should begin as soon as they have teeth

Safety Concerns Choking – be aware of small objects Suffocation – plastic bags Water – drowning can occur in 1-2 inches of water Falls – do not leave alone on ANY raised area Poisoning – everything goes in a baby’s mouth Burns – electrical outlets covers and hot liquids, water heater 120⁰ Sun Animals Clothing