Taking care of the baby during the first weeks of his life

General points:

• Safety of the baby is the most important thing to take care.
• Organize his room
• Keep him warm
• Wash him specially his umbilicus
• For male children: prepare for circumcision
• Arrange Diapers
• Arrange his clothes
• Keep away sick people from the baby
• Be prepared for carrying the baby out of the house
• Buy a standardized baby carrier basket.
• Never leave the baby in the baby carrier basket on a high table. Always on the floor.
• Prepare a standardized baby car seat.

Organizing the baby's room:

• Place the bed near the wall
• Check that the place is ventilated
• The bed and the mattress should be according the Israeli standard and the bars of the bed rails should not be more than 7 cm wide.
• Keep the bed rails closed and the brakes on all the time.
• Never leave the baby on a high table without supervision.
• Never leave ropes or cables near the baby's bed

Heating and cooling the room

• Heat the baby's room with a radiator or an air conditioner.
• Cool the baby's room with an air conditioner or a ventilator.
• Never direct the ventilator over the baby.
• Keep a window slightly open when heating the room to ensure humidity.
• Never leave flammable objects near the baby's bed.

Carrying the baby outside the house

• The baby needs fresh air and sunlight.
• Do not take the baby to busy places.
• The safe hours during summer in Israel are 10:00-16:00.
• When driving, use a standardized safety baby car seat.
• Never put the baby in the front seat.
• Put the baby's seat with his face towards the back seat of the car.

Vitamins and Vaccines

• Follow the instructions of the ministry of health

Keeping the baby's temperature

• Room temperature should be 21-23°C.
• Room temperature while bathing should be 24-25°C.
• Normal temperature of the baby is 36.3-37.8 using the axillary method.
• Body temperature below 36°C may cause lethargy, pale or bluish skin color, low crying voice and refusal to eat. Call a pediatrician.

Bathing

• Bathroom temperature should be 24-25°C.
• Water temperature should be 37-38°C.
• Never bath the baby after a meal.
• Prepare everything (diapers, clothes) before and keep them nearby.
• Use a stable toddler bathtub.
• Lift the baby with both hands and put him gently in the toddler bathtub to get used to the water.
• Start washing the head. Pay attention to wash the groins and the armpits.
• Male sure to dry the baby and dress him quickly.
• Do not use baby body oil or baby powder. These might close the skin pores.

Urination and Defecation

• The diaper should be wet 6-8 times a day.
• The number of defecations may differ and depends on the type of food. Babies fed with breast milk may have defecation after each feeding and the feces will be yellowish and watery. Babies fed with breast milk substitutes have solid feces.