How to Take Care of Newborns

Feed your newborn by breastfeeding or bottle feeding as soon as he signals that he is hungry, which is usually indicated by loud, persistent crying. Prompt feeding will calm him and help prevent fussiness and agitation. Support your newborn's head, neck and upper back as you lift him from his crib. If you are breastfeeding, offer your newborn each breast in turn and let him suckle on demand. If you are bottle feeding your newborn, it's important to use sterilized equipment and to prepare feeds by mixing the correct ratio of formula and water, according to the manufacturer's instructions or as your newborn's pediatrician directs.

Make eye contact with your newborn and speak calmly and quietly to him during moments when he is awake and content, such as immediately after a feed. For a newborn, moments of alertness are brief, and may only last a minute or two, but talking to your newborn, even during these brief moments will help him learn to recognize the sound of your voice and begin to respond to his caregivers and his immediate environment.

Change your newborn's diaper once it has become soiled. You can wash your newborn's bottom using baby wipes or a combination of warm water and absorbent cotton. Dry the area and then apply a small amount of diaper rash cream to help prevent diaper rash. HealthyChildren.org recommends that you keep the area of the umbilical cord dry until the stump shrivels and falls away to reduce the risk of infection. You can prevent urine from seeping onto the cord by folding the top of the newborn's diaper down and away from the area of the cord.

Bathe your newborn about three times a week using the sponge bathing method. Sponge bathe your newborn rather than giving him a full bath to keep the cord area dry while it is still healing, according to HealthyChildren.org. Place a soft towel onto a flat surface, such as a changing table, in a warm room. Place next to you a bowl of warm water to which you have added a little mild soap, along with a clean, rinsed washcloth and two more soft dry towels. Lift your newborn from his crib, undress him and wrap him in one of the towels. Place him onto the table and gently wipe his face using the washcloth. Dry your newborn's face and then sponge bathe him by unwrapping, washing, drying and then re-wrapping each area of skin in turn.

Dress your newborn in several layers of soft, comfortable clothing. For example, dress him in an undershirt and pajamas, and then wrap him in a receiving blanket. Keep the room temperature at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. If the weather outside is hot, or the room temperature is above 70 F, you can reduce the clothing to one layer, according to HealthyChildren.org. A room thermometer can help you check the warmth of your newborn's room.

Place your newborn onto his back to sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you place your newborn on his back when he sleeps, to help reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The AAP also recommends that a newborn sleeps in the same room as his parents but not in his parents' bed, which seems to reduce the incidence of SIDS. Place your newborn into a crib that has met the safety standards issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Do not buy used cribs or obtain used cribs from friends or relatives, as they may not adhere to current safety standards.The Consumer Products Safety Commission banned all drop-side cribs in 2011. The AAP recommends that your baby, whether newborn or infant, sleep in a crib without any pillows, soft toys, stuffed animals, or blankets or crib bumpers, as these could put your baby at risk for suffocation.