Baby First Days

Your Newborn
can surprise you; Well, your newborn is actually already very smart and developing skills that will last a lifetime

How to calm your baby
Infant's calming reflex

Swaddling  - wrap the baby securely in a blanket with her arms tucked inside so she can't flail

Side/stomach position - Hold the baby snugly in your arms on her left side or stomach

Shushing sounds - Use white-noise machines, humidifiers, fans, vacuums, etc. The shushing should be as loud as the baby's crying

Swinging - Try rocking, car rides or infant swings

Sucking - Let your baby nurse, take a bottle of breast milk or formula, or suck on your finger or a pacifier

From imitating your expressions to grasping your finger, your newborn can see and do many things that may surprise you

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! as your baby becomes a part of your life and family it may seem that all this little newborn does is eat, sleep and produce dirty diapers. Well, your newborn is actually already very smart and developing skills that will last a lifetime Let's take a look:

Sight newborn see quite well after birth. They focus best on objects about 12 inches from their face, and in fact, their favourite thing to see is your face. When your baby is alert, try placing your face about 12 inches from his. You will notice that he concentrates very hard on it. In fact, he will try to imitate whatever you do. Try opening your mouth, chewing or sticking out your tongue and watch happens. On occasion, you may notice that your baby's eyes "cross." This is normal and will improve by two months of age. Young infants can focus on objects and toys better if they are contrasting colors such as white, black and red. Color vision is not fully developed until four months of age.
Hearing and Language Your infant started hearing while in the womb. She could not only hear your voice, your heart beat and your intestines rumble, but also your partner's voice, a dog barking or the doorbell ringing. your baby's favourite thing to hear is your voice. Sing, talk, coo or read to her. This not only fosters parent-infant bonding but also language development. You may even notice that when your baby gets fussy, she quickly calms down as you talk or coo to her.
Your baby also has a voice and will communicate with you by crying. Over the first two weeks, you will become familiar with the "I'm hungry" cry, the "I'm wet" cry and the "I don't know what I want but come pick me up" cry. It is important that you respond to these cries as this will help your infant learn to trust you. Many infants love music. Try classical, rock, country, jazz or gospel. Your baby will let you know what excites as well as soothes her
Taste and Smell An infant's taste buds are not fully developed at the time of birth but newborns do like breast milk and formula. Taste buds will continue to develop as your baby grows older. Your infant's favourite thing to smell is you. We all have a distinctive scent and your infant will get to know yours starting at birth.

Movement
Some of your baby's early movements may surprise you. One movement that parents often notice is the "Moro" or "startle" reflex. This occurs when, due to a loud sound or sudden movement, the baby throws his head back in again. This reflex will diminish between three to six months of age. A reflex parents really enjoy is the "grasp" reflex. This reflex lasts only a couple of months. And, of course, the most regular reflexes you will see are the "rooting" and "sucking" reflexes. The rooting reflex is what causes your infant to turn his face in the direction of the cheek that is stroked or touched. This helps him find the breast or bottle. The sucking reflex is a survival reflex. It enables your baby to suck and then swallow important nutrients needed for growth. Both of these reflexes become voluntary as he matures. Many infants like to be rocked, swayed or walked. Infants enjoy what has become familiar to them and these movements imitate what it was like for them in the womb. Walking or rocking helps soothe some infants when they get fussy and some infants fall right to sleep during a car ride. You will soon discover the movements your baby likes best. ......

next page...

---

Online Parenting Resources

Health - The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) offers expert medical information on pregnancy, childbirth and all aspects of women's health
www.acog.org

Multiples - More than one baby? A handful? The National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs (NOMOTC) is a support group for parents of twins and higher order multiples. Member clubs across the United States meet monthly to discuss the challenges, care and development of multiple-birth children
www.nomotc.org

Capture special memory moments - How get best baby's photos

Capture baby's first moments with digital camera. Create fun projects including baby announcements, scrapbooks, photo cards and more

Photo Tips:

Whether you're filling pages in an album, making a CD-ROM or sharing photos over the Internet, you'll want to snap the best photos you can. Take these tips from Russell Smith, the pro who photographed babies:

Turn off that flash! Use natural or ambient light when possible. When shooting inside, let sunlight come through a sheer curtain for beautiful soft light. When you must use a flash, keep indoor lighting fairly bright to avoid red-eye. Outside, shoot in open shade rather than bright sunlight. But if you must shoot in bright sunlight, turn on your flash to fill in the hard shadows.

Create interesting photos. Create interesting photos. Shoot from high above, behind or at eye level with your baby. Photos taken from behind your child show the world from his point of view. Or get down on the floor, face to face. Capture the range of your baby's emotions; many of your best and truest photos will be taken when your baby is not smiling. Photograph your baby in profile and whenever you shoot, don't be afraid to zoom in close.

Keep it smile. Avoid clutter, bold colors and bright patterns. If photographing your baby on a blanket, use solids in soft colors. Dress your baby in soft colors as well. Dark solid tend to appear black and bright solids will reflect unwanted colors onto your child's face. Enjoy capturing your baby's growing-up years!