Naps: The first year

How many naps a day should my baby take?

Most newborns will sleep for two to four hours at a time, day and night. At this stage, you shouldn't expect any sort of napping pattern. Just let your baby sleep as much as she needs to.

When your baby's 6 to 8 weeks old, she's likely to start consolidating her sleep – she'll sleep less often and for longer stretches at a time. She'll probably need two to four naps a day, and perhaps even more.

At 3 to 4 months of age, many babies begin to follow a more predictable pattern of daytime sleep. This is a good time to start developing a nap schedule (see our tips, below).

Your child's sleep and nap timeline

How much sleep does your child need? Every child is different. Some babies need up to two hours more or less sleep than other babies, and some toddlers and older children need as much as an hour more or less than their peers.

This timeline gives you an idea of how much sleep children typically need at various ages and how sleep and nap patterns change as they grow.

DIY Natural Homemade Baby Wipes

Ever checked the ingredients on your baby wipes? Yeah, I hadn’t either. The Cosmetics Database gives you a complete list and a hazard rating of the different brands of wipes. For instance:

Pampers Clean and Go Wipes Contain

Water, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic Triglyceride, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Hydroxymethlyglycinate, Citric Acid, Fragrance

Clean and Go Wipes are given a 5 for hazard (out of 10) and warnings include possible allergies, immunotoxicity and organ system toxicity. No thanks!

Huggies Cucumber and Green Tea Wipes

Ingredients: Water, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, DMDM Hydantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Malic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Fragrance

These wipes have a hazard rating of 7 and ingredients have been linked to cancer, immunotoxicity, allergies, developmental problems, reproductive toxicity, organ dysfunction, endocrine disruption and cellular changes.

Checklist: Baby Essentials

Your personal shopping guide to all the bare essentials baby will need.

Here it is: The bare-bones, absolute essentials, nothing-but-the-basics baby shopping guide.

Clothing:

• 4-8 undershirts or vests (snaps at neck or wide head openings, snaps under crotch)
• 4-8 one-piece pajamas
• 1-3 rompers or other dress-up outfits
• 4-7 socks or booties (shoes are unnecessary until baby walks)
• 1-3 hats (broad-brimmed for summer baby, soft cap that covers ears for winter baby)

Bedding:

• Crib, cradle or bassinet
• Firm, flat mattress fit snugly in crib (less than two fingers should fit between mattress and crib)
• 2-4 fitted crib sheets
• 4-6 soft, light receiving blankets

Diapering:

• Changing table or cushioned changing pad for low dresser or bureau, with safety strap or railing
• Changing table pad
• Diaper bag
• Diaper cream
• Unscented baby wipes (causes less irritation)
• Soft washcloths
• 6-10 dozen cloth diapers and 6-8 diaper covers, or 2-3 large boxes of disposable newborn-size diapers
• Baby soap

Feeding:

• 10-16 bottles and nipples, both 4- and 8- ounce (if fed strictly by the bottle, baby will go through about 10 in the 4-ounce size per day)
• Burp cloths
• Formula (if not nursing)
• Pump (if you plan to breastfeed)
• Milk storage bags (if you plan to breastfeed)

Health:

• Baby nail clippers or blunt scissors
• Baby thermometer
• Petroleum jelly and sterile gauze (for circumcision care)
• First aid kit

Gear:

• Infant or convertible car seat
• Stroller or infant carrier

The Bottom Line on Diaper Rash

It may be during your baby’s earliest weeks, or many months later, but you’ll likely encounter some form of diaper rash long before your baby is walking. Diaper rashes are most commonly caused by a combination of the warm and moist diaper environment, the pH of the diaper contents, and friction from the diaper, working together to irritate the skin. Diarrhea from a stomach bug or antibiotics, or highly acidic foods, may also create or worsen a diaper rash.

Tender Pink Bum: at this early stage, areas of the skin are pink and tender appearing, and may have raised bumps or darker red creases in skin folds. When you see your baby’s bottom becoming pinker than usual, begin to change her diaper more frequently during the day and any time you know she’s had a BM. For car rides and at bedtime, apply petroleum jelly, zinc diaper cream or coconut oil to the pink areas as a skin-protective moisture barrier. Cornstarch or other powders are not recommended as a treatment or preventative measure.

Red Diaper Rash: the bum looks raw and painful with small areas of raised bumps or swollen skin. To treat, continue with frequent diaper changes, but if you’ve been using diaper wipes, temporarily switch over to soft cloths and warm water, and gently pat the skin dry. Give baby a few minutes of naked time on a towel to air out her bottom after diaper changes when possible. Apply a thick zinc based diaper cream or diaper paste generously to affected areas, and don’t worry about cleaning off every bit of cream at each diaper change if it’s not soiled. The cream protects the skin, and scrubbing it off is irritating.

How to Clean Up After Any Disposable Diaper Change

Did you now just complete a disposable diaper change on a child, and now you don't know how to clean up? To make sure you did everything correctly, follow this article, to ensure everything in your power has been done.

Steps
1. Fold the dirty diaper in half with your free hand, to keep the soiled area and wipes inside while you finish the job. Use the tape-tabs to make it all into one tight bundle.

2. Place the disposable diaper into a sealed small plastic bag, and place it outside in a garbage collection container.

3. Wipe your baby's hands with another wipe if necessary. Sanitize the surface with a product that is formulated for sensitive skin.

4. Put everything away. Creams, lotions, and baby oils must be put somewhere safe, as they can be harmful if swallowed by a child. Keep all of your diaper-changing supplies where you will be able to find them quickly and easy each time you need them.

5. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. 6. Pick up your baby and go onwards with life.

How to Check a Diaper

If you babysitting, had a baby, or you start to smell something, you will sometime in your life, have to check a diaper. Read on to find out how.

1.Notice if your baby is crying. Sometimes it may be time to change their diaper, once they begin crying. You may know that you have to change a nappy, if the baby cries. Maybe if you're babysitting or something like that, the baby will burst into tears. Rem ember to focus on other reasons before ripping the nappy open.


2. Smell the baby's bottom. Turn the baby around and take a good whiff, if you are brave enough! Just hold up the baby, smell and let your senses do the rest. If you are close to passing out then yeah, the baby needs changing.

3. Try feeling it with two fingers just a little farther down than the top tagline of the diaper in the front of the baby. REMEMBER, this is only for the brave hearted, or if you feel comfortable enough doing this. however the nappy is soft and plump so this step might not get you far.

4. Hold your hand over the front section of your babies diaper and slightly jiggle the diaper to see if it moves. A diaper that moves like jelly is mostly wet and will need to be changed soon (or immediately).

5. Open it up with the diaper tapes and take a quick peek. and take a look for yourself. But do this in hygienic places. Not in the middle of the street.