Your Baby’s Umbilical Cord The umbilical cord - also referred to as the birth cord, connects the developing baby to the placenta (afterbirth). The cord literally acts as a ‘life line’ supplying the baby with oxygen and nutrients that support its growth and development whilst they are in the uterus (womb). What does [...]
Your newborn baby’s sleep patterns We all need sleep for our health and wellbeing, and newborn babies are no different. Growth and self-regulation (of sleep) occur while babies are sleeping. Enhancing your baby’s sleep-time and avoiding unnecessary sleep disturbances are very important for their health and development. Babies who are born at term (around [...]
Caring for your baby’s ‘sticky’ and ‘watery’ eyes Your baby’s eyes are kept moist and healthy by tears that wash over the surface of their eyes constantly. Tears are produced in the lacrimal glands and there is one lacrimal gland above each eye. Your baby’s tears are then carried away from the eye by [...]
Introduction This section aims to provide you with impartial, evidence-based information to help support you with breastfeeding your new baby. There is practical information and guidance as well as, some handy tips to help you should you find that breastfeeding is not going quite as smoothly as you had anticipated. We would like to reassure [...]
Management of common breastfeeding problems Although breastfeeding is thought to be ‘natural’, it is actually a skill that requires support and preparation to develop and maintain. Some breastfeeding mothers will experience minor problems at some time, however, there are plenty of people available who can advise and support you in overcoming these, including your [...]
Introducing your new baby to their siblings Introducing your new baby to the rest of the family is a joyous and exciting time. However, alongside the inevitable celebrations there can also be major upheaval to well-established routines and changes to family dynamics. This can be a daunting time too, as new parents contemplate how [...]
Introduction Assessing your baby’s health and well-being begins from the moment they are born - this very first assessment is called the Apgar score. It is undertaken by the midwife or paediatrician (baby doctor) present at your baby’s birth and is designed to evaluate their physical health and well-being immediately at birth. Background information The [...]
Your newborn baby's skin Newborn babies have fragile delicate skin which is vulnerable to trauma from friction and pressure. Babies also have plenty of skin creases on the palms of their hands and soles of their feet. If your baby was born post mature (ie were over due), you may also notice that the [...]
About birth afterthoughts Events around the time of your baby’s birth can sometimes seem muddled and vague, particularly where you have been given pain relieving drugs (analgesia) which have made you feel sleepy, or there was an emergency situation where decisions and actions were undertaken in rapid succession. Where the midwives and doctors have [...]
My little girl is now eleven weeks’ old and keeps putting her hand to her mouth, biting and crying. Could it be that she is cutting a tooth? A baby’s development is astonishingly rapid with many milestones being reached over the course of their first year. However, because every baby is different; they will achieve [...]
