Sneezing and hiccups
At the very beginning of their young life, your baby sneezes a lot. They needs some time to adapt to their new environment and the hairs that protect the inside of their nose are not yet developed. Thus, they can sneeze up to 10 or 12 times a day to release the secretions in their nose that disturb their breathing.
Hiccups usually occur after feedings. It is not painful and it disappears after a few minutes.
Not too hot
A newborn needs to be warm but not too much. You will soon learn to understand their desires. Do they hate being hot or do they like to be wrapped in a blanket?
Usually their room temperature should be between 20 and 24°C (68-75 F). For the rest of the house, rely on how you feel. If you are comfortable, they will be too. It is better to add a blanket on their bed than to raise the room’s temperature. Let them breathe and move and don’t wrap them too tightly in blankets.
Sleep times
Periods of sleep and awakening
You will get the feeling, at first, that your baby sleeps all the time. In fact, they can sleep between 12 and 16 hours a day because they need to but soon their sleeping habits will change and they will need to sleep less. They awakening periods will last longer and their sleeping periods will shorten. If hunger can wake them up 6 to 8 times a day, they will sleep again quickly as soon as they will be fed. As they grow up, the urge to see you could replace the urge for a midnight snack. If this is the case, maybe it is time to move on to the next stage.
You may have to wake up small or premature babies if the times between feedings are too long.
Through the night
That’s every parent’s dream… But reality is different. You are the one who must adapt, not your baby. In fact sleeping through the night for a baby means sleeping five hours in a row between 11:00 p.m. and 7 in the morning. This will only happen when your baby has a defined schedule, around 3 or 4 months old, even 8 to 10 months old for some babies.
Positions
All kinds of theories on how to place your baby in bed appeared over the years. Today, however, paediatricians agree that from birth, a baby should be placed on their back, on a firm mattress. The position on the back is recommended because it reduces the risks of choking compared with the positions on the side or on the tummy. Don’t leave anything besides a blanket in their bed and place it in a way that will not obstruct breathing. Avoid pillows and other objects that will make it difficult to move. Place your baby away from the protection borders so that their face does not get buried and stuck.
