Baby Care 101 for Beginners

Feeding

• A baby drinks about 2 ounces of formula per feeding. It is harder to measure how much a breastfed baby consumes. If the baby is satisfied, produces six wet diapers and stools, and sleeps well, she is probably getting enough breast milk, according to KidsHealth. A doctor will weigh the baby during visits to ensure that she is growing with her feeding regimen. All babies need to be burped and that might require several attempts or positions, such as placing her face down on your lap or holding the baby upright to get relief.

Bathing

• Babies tend to have dry, delicate skin. Sponge baths are encouraged until the newborn's umbilical stump heals and falls off. Lie her on the bed or a soft surface covered with a towel. Wash each part of her and then quickly dry the baby to keep her warm. Only use a small amount of water during a tub bath. Check the water's temperature by placing your elbow in the water. It should be lukewarm to the touch. To retain your baby's moisture, slather lots of baby lotion on her and massage her muscles.

Tummy Time

• Tummy time can begin as early as the newborn stage, but a baby should always be put to sleep on her back to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Tummy time prevents the baby's head from flattening and builds strong neck, head and shoulder muscles, according to Dr. Jay L. Hoecker at MayoClinic.com. This muscle strengthening helps babies reach the milestones of rolling, sitting and crawling quicker.

Diapering

• You will change a newborn's diaper about 10 times a day. Lay the baby on a flat surface and supervise her carefully to prevent her from falling. Small babies might not roll yet, but they like to wiggle. Keep all of your diapering essentials nearby, including diapers, wipes or washcloths and diaper ointment. Many babies have sensitive skin and develop a diaper rash, which usually heals quickly with bathing, going diaperless for a while and applying diaper rash cream or petroleum jelly according to KidsHealth.

Sleeping

• Many babies sleep about 16 hours a day until 3 months of age. She will mostly wake to eat every two to four hours and might need to be awakened. The sleep cycle is confused, with babies mainly sleeping during the day, and being active at night. Try to keep the baby comforted at night with low lighting or soft music to lull her to sleep. Keep her crib or bassinet free or blankets, quilts, pillows and stuffed animals to avoid suffocation.

Skin-to-skin Contact

• Remove your baby's clothing and place her skin to skin to create a bonding experience and calm your baby. Place a blanket over her to regulate her temperature. Both bottle-fed and breastfed babies benefit from this extra cuddling. Milk production is stimulated in the mother to encourage the baby to feed. According to Group Health Cooperative, close contact stimulates the newborn's brain development.