If you had your first baby it can make you nervous in the beginning. Fortunately, over time things will become much easier for you and everything will feel natural. Until then, below are two tips on things you need to do to take care of your baby.

Learn how to Soothe Your Baby

There will be times when your baby cries for no apparent reason. In some cases, it can be difficult to make them stop. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help soothe your baby to calm them down.

First, talk softly, sing, and coo to your baby. Recite nursery rhymes, read a book, or recite poetry. Sit in a rocking chair and gently rock your baby as you do these things, if possible. If you do not have a rocking chair hold your baby and gently sway back and forth.

Some babies love to be swaddled and this can be a good soothing technique.  Swaddling helps your baby feel safe, warm, and comfortable. If you have never swaddled a baby before, it is not difficult to do. Only do this in its first couple of months however. Once your baby gets to the point where they can roll over you need to stop swaddling. If you do not they could easily suffocate as they would have a difficult time moving their head and would be impossible for them to move their hands and feet when they roll over onto their stomach.

Lean How to Burp Your Baby

It is very important that you burp your baby during each feeding. This will help them feel much more comfortable in their abdominal area. There is no certain way to burp a baby. You have to try different things until you find what works best.

One way to burp your baby is to hold your baby against your chest with its chin resting on your shoulder. Gently pat and rub your baby's back until it burps.

If this does not work, you can sit your baby in your lap making sure you support its head. Gently pat and rub the baby's back until you hear a burp. It may take a few minutes so be patient. You should burp right after each feeding. If your baby is drinking very fast you should stop in the middle of feeding and burp them and then again when they finish.  

Talk to a pediatrician, such as at Willow Oak Pediatrics, for much more information on how to take proper care of your new baby.

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