Newborns are these tiny little human beings who can bring a smile to even the toughest person's face. Babies seem to be the most adorable when they are first born, and this gives a new meaning to a mom’s world. When babies are in the newborn stage of life, they are very fragile and delicate. Moms have to be extra careful and mindful of what they do with their young child.
If the newborn is less than a month old, there are a lot of things that moms shouldn’t do with their little ones quite yet, such as allowing them to sleep with their favorite stuffed animal, letting them sleep on their tummy, or even giving the baby solid foods to eat. But don’t fret, mom; as babies grow and become stronger with each passing day, they will be able to do so much more.
Nothing matters more to a mom than the safety of her child. That is why it is important for them to learn what is age appropriate for their baby and stick to those suggestions. It is always best to err on the side of caution. Please continue reading to learn 20 things that it’s still too early to do with a one-month-old baby.
Babies under six-months-old need the special nutrients that are found exclusively in breastmilk and formula in order to stay healthy and continue to grow stronger. This means that newborns who are only one-month-old are too young to start eating solid foods.
According to Mayoclinic.org, babies are not ready to start adding solid foods to their bellies until they are between four and six months of age. If a baby is within this range, solids can be given as a complement to formula or breastmilk. Moms want to make sure that their baby can steadily hold their head up on their own and that they can also sit without support before introducing solid foods.
One way moms can help keep their one-month-old safe is by not allowing a ton of family or friends over very often, especially since the baby has not had all of their vaccinations yet. According to CDC.gov, babies can receive their first round of vaccines around two-months-old. Plus, moms should keep in mind that newborns have weak immune systems that have not fully developed yet which means it is easier for them to get sick compared to healthy children who are a bit older. If family and friends were to come over and visit, it is important to remind them to wash their hands, avoid kissing the baby’s face, and that they shouldn’t touch the baby’s hands since little ones are known for putting their hands in their mouth.
Moms should avoid giving their little one water or juice until they are at least six-months-old. With water, once the baby has reached this age it is okay to start giving them sips of water when they are thirsty, according to Babycenter.com. The reason babies under six months shouldn’t drink a full bottle of it is because it can upset their tummy as well as make them feel full which could cause them to not want to drink their nutritional formula or breastmilk. When it comes to juice, it can often have a high-calorie count and it does not contain the proper nutrients that babies need to continue to grow strong and healthy, according to Kidshealth.org.
When a baby is born, some people just can’t help wanting to shower the baby with snuggles and kisses which really is not a good idea or even completely safe to do. Babies are born with weak immune systems that have not fully developed. Plus, before a baby is vaccinated, they are susceptible to viruses that are completely preventable once they reach the age where they can be vaccinated, according to Healthline.com. Older babies, children, and adults are riddled with a multitude of germs, viruses, and bacteria at any given moment which can easily be transferred to a newborn who could potentially become very ill. Even virus such as herpes simplex can be transmitted to a newborn via a kiss on the face.
Newborn’s nails grow faster than they do for older children. Their fingernails grow about 0.1mm every day, according to Livestrong.com. Newborns tend to scratch themselves involuntarily since they can’t really control their arms and legs very well until they are about six weeks old, according to Raisingchildren.net.au. Because babies tend to scratch their face a lot, it is very important that moms keep their child’s nails trimmed.
There is some controversy surrounding how and when it is okay to use a baby nail clipper on an infant. But since newborns under six weeks have a lot of uncontrollable movements in their arms in legs, perhaps using a soft emery board is the best way to go and then gradually working your way up to a nail clipper.
It is completely normal for a mom to want to decorate the inside of her infant's crib to make it look beautiful and welcoming for her child. However, putting anything inside the crib of a baby who is younger than 12 months old can be extremely unsafe, according to Sleep.org, and can even lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
Young babies are not strong enough to lift their head and move it out of the way if something were to block their airway. Blankets have the potential to get wrapped around the baby’s neck while toys and pillows have the potential to get in the way of the child’s airway. It is better to be safe than sorry.
When babies are born, their muscles are not fully developed or very strong yet. That is why young babies cannot hold their head up, sit upright, or even roll over on their own. The fact that a one-month-old baby’s muscles aren’t strong enough yet plays a major factor in why a mom should not allow her child to sleep in an upright position. This includes allowing the baby to sleep in their car seat.
According to Whattoexpect.com, babies who are younger than three months old who cannot roll from their tummy to their back should always be put to sleep flat on their backs to help prevent SIDS. When a newborn is put to sleep in their car seat or even certain baby swings, there is the potential that their head can roll forward which could obstruct their airway and cause breathing issues.
Gas is caused primarily caused by swallowing air when we eat or drink. Most of us are already aware of how uncomfortable gas can sometimes become when it is trapped inside of our body. In babies, it can cause bloating, cramping, crankiness, and it can even cause them to spit up more often. That is why it is important for moms to not rush or forget the burping process for their little one. According to Kidshealth.org, babies should be burped every two to three ounces if they are bottle-fed or every time mom switches sides if the baby is being nursed.
Every baby develops at their own rate, but a one-month-old is still too young to sit in a highchair. This includes the ones that can recline as well. Most highchairs will have an age recommendation on it, which is usually six months of age, according to Verywellfamily.com. Moms shouldn’t be in a rush to have their little one sitting in a highchair because in order for it to be safe the baby should be able to do two things first. The first thing is that the baby should be able to hold their head up on their own. Then, they should also be able to sit up with minimal support while remaining mostly steady with maybe just some slight bobbing.
For formula-fed babies, the cost of purchasing formula can be astronomical most of the time. That does not mean that moms should start weaning their baby off of it by the time they are one-month-old. Breastfed babies should also not be weaned off by this age as well. Both breastmilk and formula have special nutrients that are necessary for a growing baby’s development and health. According to Cyh.com, it is recommended that babies continue to drink either formula or breastmilk for their first year of life. It is also recommended that babies stop using a bottle after that first year as well.
It was once thought that babies should be left to “cry it out” instead of having their parents comfort them or tend to their needs. This method dates back to the 1880s when it was honestly unsafe to cuddle a newborn due to illnesses, germs, and viruses. Allowing babies to cry it out has been said to help babies grow up to be more independent but, according to Psychologytoday.com, the opposite is actually true.
Babies who had their needs met and were comforted when they were younger actually grow up to be more independent than those who were made to cry it out. Plus, when you think about it, newborns are unable to speak and cannot tell their mom when they need something or if something is wrong. Crying is the only means of communication that newborns have.
Most newborns generally have about 8 to 12 feedings a day which is spread out about every two to three hours. It could be more or less depending on the health of the infant. Many parents look forward to the downtime they get while their little one is asleep. However, while a baby is in the newborn stage of life, waking them up to eat if they sleep past the two- to three-hour mark may not be such a bad idea, according to Mayocinic.org.
Moms should try to keep in mind that just because their little one hasn’t started to cry yet does not necessarily mean that the baby isn’t hungry. Crying is a late sign of hunger, according to Mayoclinic.org.
Honey may taste good and can sometimes be tempting to give to a young child, especially if they have a cough or sore throat, but it should not be given to children who are under 12-months-old, according to Parents.com.
Babies who are one-month-old have weaker immune systems than older children that have yet to fully develop, and honey has the potential to contain bacteria that can cause something called botulism which can make a young child very, very ill. According to Parents.com, this does not mean that the honey itself has been contaminated since this bacteria is completely harmless to children who are over one and adults.
When it comes to taking your newborn on a plane, some airlines require that the baby is at least two-days-old while other places it may be two-weeks-old. However, there are a lot of different factors that come into play, according to Mayoclinic.org. The reason it is safer to wait a while longer is that newborns have weak immune systems that aren’t fully developed which can put them a higher risk of becoming ill. Plus, babies are not fully vaccinated until they are about two-months-old, according to CDC.gov. Another thing to keep in mind is that because of the changes in the cabin pressure, which affects middle ear pressure, it can sometimes lead to ear pain, according to Mayoclinic.org.
Part of being a mom is making sure that your baby makes it to all of their check-up appointments with their pediatrician. There are so many reasons why it is important, such as making sure that your baby is growing properly, putting on the correct ounces and pounds, and that he or she is in overall good health, according to Pregnancybirthbaby.org.au. It is understandable that life happens sometimes; cars can break down and emergencies sometimes arise. So, if an appointment does need to be missed is it imperative that they are rescheduled in a timely manner. Wellness check-ups are just as important as sick appointments.
Newborns have an immature temperature regulation system, which means that they may not always have an elevated temperature during an infection or illness, according to Chop.edu. Sometimes fevers in newborns can be caused by some serious underlying medical condition or ailment.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia recommends that is a baby is younger than three months old and have a rectal temperature of 100.4 degrees F (38 degrees C) or higher that the child’s doctor is called immediately for further guidance. Fevers are not something that should be taken lightly in newborns. It is always better to err on the side of caution than to underreact about a fever.
Babies, especially newborns, usually have very sensitive skin that can become easily irritated by using regular laundry detergent on their itty-bitty clothing, according to Bhg.com. Regular liquid laundry detergent does wash out much better than the powders which can leave behind flakes that are known to irritate sensitive skin, but it doesn’t always rinse out completely. But don’t fret because there are multiple baby laundry detergents to choose from. Typically, baby detergent does not contain harsh dyes or chemicals that can sometimes be found in the regular detergents. If you already know that your baby has sensitive skin or allergies, a baby detergent is the safest route to go, according to Bhg.com.
If you have a one-month-old baby, booster seats should be very far from your mind. When a child is still a baby and under a certain height, booster seats can be very unsafe and are not recommended for use. A child shouldn’t even be in a booster until they are at least 4'9" in height, according to Healthychildren.org. This safety requirement would put the child at about roughly 8 to 12 years of age. Infants and toddlers should be in rear-facing-only or rear-facing-convertible car seats. According to Healthychildren.org, these standards and recommendations come from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Babies should always be put to sleep on their back for both naps and bedtime. This is the safest position for a child under one-year-old to sleep in. It is not even considered safe to allow a baby to sleep on their side because of the potential for them to roll onto their tummy, according to Thebump.com. When a young child sleeps on their belly, they can breathe in less air. Plus, the risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) greatly increases. According to Thebump.com, in 1994, the National Institute of Health launched a “Back to Sleep” campaign which educated parents and caregivers on safe sleep practices for babies and within six years the SIDS-related loss of infants decreased by 50 percent!
Babies don’t really do much other than eat, sleep, cry, and soil their diapers. Which is why some moms think that putting a one-month-old on a regular schedule may be beneficial for both mother and baby. Schedules can be good, and even experts are not unanimous about this subject, but, according to Babycenter.com, they are not suggested to be started until the baby is at least two to four months old. The younger the baby is, the more a mom should be feeding their child when the baby shows hunger cues such as sucking on their fingers or hand instead of at a scheduled time.