Caring for Newborns, discover 8 Common Misunderstandings

Eight common misunderstandings about caring for newborns. How many of them have you made? Let’s look a little bit and get info.

Table of Contents

1. Fix the sleeping position of the newborn baby, it’s important caring for newborns.

“I heard that sleeping on the side can cause the baby’s head to tilt, and sleeping on the stomach can easily cause suffocation. So every time my baby falls asleep in my arms, I gently put him down, then straighten his head and prop it up with small pillows on both sides. This way the baby is very safe.”

The right way to do it: Newborns are born in the foetal position, with their limbs still curled up. To help drain any swallowed fluid and mucus from the birth canal, they should be placed in a low side-lying position for the first 24 hours after birth . Prolonged supine sleeping can flatten a baby’s head. The right way to do it is to turn the baby over frequently: one time on the left side, the next on the back, and the next on the right.

This will help the baby’s head grow in a symmetrical and beautiful shape. After feeding, be sure to lay the baby on the side, not the back, to prevent vomiting and choking. When lying on the left or right side, be careful not to press the baby’s ear forward, as this will cause the ear to fold and deform.

2. Wake up the sleeping baby to urinate (important things in caring for newborns)

“I’m afraid my baby will wet the bed, so I pick him up every few hours to help him pee. Sometimes he wakes up and cries loudly. I can’t help it. I don’t want his little bottom to be wrapped in a wet diaper. It would be so bad if he gets diaper rash.”

The right approach: Your baby’s sleep is crucial. Sacrificing precious sleep just to avoid getting their bottom dirty is a recipe for disaster. Choose high-quality diapers to protect your baby’s bottom. If your baby gets wet and becomes uncomfortable, they’ll cry to remind you to change them. Babies over two or three years old may already know how to call for help when they need to urinate at night, while others will wake up naturally when they feel the urge to urinate. There’s no need to wake them.

3. Sleep with the lights on

“I like to leave the light on in the bedroom. It makes it easier to take care of the baby and also makes the baby feel safe.”

The right approach: Turn off the lights before bed. Bedside lighting not only affects your baby’s sleep quality but also impairs vision development. Any artificial light source creates a subtle light pressure on the body. This long-term light pressure can cause anxiety and tension in infants and young children, making it difficult to fall asleep. Prolonged sleep exposure to light can also affect the eye’s reticular activating system , shortening sleep duration, reducing sleep depth, and making it easier to awaken. Babies who sleep in light have a four times higher incidence of myopia than those who sleep in the dark.

4. Wearing too many clothes to bed

“I’m afraid my baby will catch a cold while sleeping, so I put a thin sweater on him to sleep so that his belly won’t get cold.”

The right approach: Avoid wearing anything too warm when sleeping. High humidity in the bed, combined with a baby’s high metabolism, can easily trigger ” heat syndrome ,” which can cause profuse sweating and even collapse. Similarly, using an electric blanket can easily cause mild dehydration due to its excessive temperature, which can negatively impact health.

5. The milk powder is too concentrated

“I always feel that the milk made according to the instructions is too light, so I always add some milk powder myself so that my baby can eat enough and grow fat.”

Correct approach: Milk powder should not be too thick or too thin. The sodium content in milk is twice that of the human body. The higher the concentration of milk, the more sodium it contains, which can easily increase the sodium concentration in the baby’s blood, causing symptoms such as constipation, increased blood pressure, and even convulsions and coma.

6. Add complementary foods too early

“My baby started drinking juice after she was one month old. This helps her get more water and vitamins.”

The right approach: Wait until at least four months before adding complementary foods. Breast milk is the perfect natural nutrition and beverage for infants, providing all the nutrients they need, including water and most vitamins. Therefore, for babies under four months old who are exclusively breastfed, there’s no need to add water or other beverages.

7. Feeding egg custard too early

“My baby can eat egg yolks after 4 months. I also steam egg custard for her. Egg custard is easier to digest and more nutritious. It should be fine.”

The right approach: Feed only egg yolks within four months. Egg whites and egg yolks contain allergens. Eating them too early can easily lead to allergic reactions such as eczema and hives. For babies with milk rash and diaper rash , consuming egg custard can cause symptoms to recur and worsen.

8. Feeding solid food with a bottle

“I found a good way to feed my baby. I put rice cereal, egg yolk paste and other complementary foods into the bottle, and my baby can eat faster.”

The right approach: Use a spoon to feed solid foods. Many parents, fearing the hassle of feeding or worrying their baby won’t eat enough, feed solid foods like rice cereal in a soft bottle. This can increase the baby’s appetite, leading to overweight, while also depriving the baby of the opportunity to practice chewing. In fact, a key purpose of feeding solid foods is to help the baby understand the eating process.