It determines how they react to situations, and how they express and regulate their emotions. In the s, some psychologists in New York started the largest study of temperament ever conducted.
It ran for three decades and assessed babies from the age of three months until adulthood. At the end of the study, the researchers proposed the following nine characteristics of temperament:. As a result of the study, the psychologists determined that there are three major types of temperament: easy, difficult, and slow-to-warm-up. Easy babies make their parents feel as if they are doing a great job.
They tend to have long and frequent crying episodes. Parents of difficult babies may question their child care abilities and wonder what they are doing wrong. The term "difficult" has a negative connotation as it overlooks what are often valuable behavioural traits: assertiveness, persistence and decisiveness. Other words such as "spirited" or "feisty" have been suggested because they sound more positive; however, the word "difficult" is used here because it is the established term in the scientific literature.
Slow-to-warm-up babies do not like to be pushed into things. They are frequently thought of as shy or sensitive. Because many babies and children do not fit into a particular category, it is sometimes helpful to consider how the characteristics and types of temperament relate to each other.
If child has a low activity level, he or she might be easily overwhelmed by excessive physical play. Does your baby love a set schedule? Or do you fight tooth and nail to get him to stick to the routine? In other words, does your baby follow a regular eating, eliminating and sleeping cycle? If your son or daughter struggles to go down for a nap despite exhausting your list of lullabies for babies , try not to be too rigid with his or her schedule.
Does your baby reach out with a smile for every new family member or friend who comes to visit? Encourage her sociability by giving her plenty of opportunities to meet new people. Watch for his signals and let him ease into situations. How easygoing is your baby when it comes to change? Easy-going babies can go with the flow and take on changes with little concern. As you introduce new things, go slowly, and help your baby with travel anxiety by bringing along comforts of home - teddy, blanket, or nightlight are all a good start.
How well does your baby respond to stimuli? The sensitivity trait determines how sensitive they are to the environment around them. When your baby is unhappy, does he yell and scream loud enough to shatter glass? Immediately after circumcision , the tip of the penis is usually covered with gauze coated with petroleum jelly to keep the wound from sticking to the diaper.
Gently wipe the tip clean with warm water after a diaper change, then apply petroleum jelly to the tip so it doesn't stick to the diaper. Redness or irritation of the penis should heal within a few days, but if the redness or swelling increases or if pus-filled blisters form, infection may be present and you should call your baby's doctor immediately. Umbilical cord care in newborns is also important. Some doctors suggest swabbing the area with rubbing alcohol until the cord stump dries up and falls off, usually in 10 days to 3 weeks, but others recommend leaving the area alone.
Talk to your child's doctor to see what he or she prefers. An infant's navel area shouldn't be submerged in water until the cord stump falls off and the area is healed. Until it falls off, the cord stump will change color from yellow to brown or black — this is normal. Call your doctor if the navel area looks red or if a foul odor or discharge develops.
Whether feeding your newborn by breast or a bottle , you may be stumped as to how often to do so. Generally, it's recommended that babies be fed on demand — whenever they seem hungry.
Your baby may cue you by crying, putting fingers in his or her mouth, or making sucking noises. A newborn baby needs to be fed every 2 to 3 hours. If you're breastfeeding, give your baby the chance to nurse about 10—15 minutes at each breast. If you're formula-feeding, your baby will most likely take about 2—3 ounces 60—90 milliliters at each feeding. Some newborns may need to be awakened every few hours to make sure they get enough to eat.
Call your baby's doctor if you need to wake your newborn often or if your baby doesn't seem interested in eating or sucking. If you're formula-feeding, you can easily monitor if your baby is getting enough to eat, but if you're breastfeeding, it can be a little trickier.
If your baby seems satisfied, produces about six wet diapers and several stools a day, sleeps well, and is gaining weight regularly, then he or she is probably eating enough. Another good way to tell if your baby is getting milk is to notice if your breasts feel full before feeding your baby and less full after feeding.
Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about your child's growth or feeding schedule. Babies often swallow air during feedings, which can make them fussy. To help prevent this, burp your baby often. Try burping your baby every 2—3 ounces 60—90 milliliters if you bottle-feed, and each time you switch breasts if you breastfeed.
If your baby tends to be gassy, has gastroesophageal reflux , or seems fussy during feeding, try burping your little one after every ounce during bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes during breastfeeding. If your baby doesn't burp after a few minutes, change the baby's position and try burping for another few minutes before feeding again. Always burp your baby when feeding time is over, then keep him or her in an upright position for at least 10—15 minutes to avoid spitting up.
As a new parent, you may be surprised to learn that your newborn, who seems to need you every minute of the day, actually sleeps about 16 hours or more! Newborns typically sleep for periods of 2—4 hours. Don't expect yours to sleep through the night — the digestive system of babies is so small that they need nourishment every few hours and should be awakened if they haven't been fed for 4 hours or more often if your doctor is concerned about weight gain.
When can you expect your baby to sleep through the night? Many babies sleep through the night between 6—8 hours at 3 months of age, but if yours doesn't, it's not a cause for concern.
Like adults, babies must develop their own sleep patterns and cycles, so if your newborn is gaining weight and appears healthy, don't despair if he or she hasn't slept through the night at 3 months. It's important to always place babies on their backs to sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS sudden infant death syndrome.
Other safe sleeping practices include: not using blankets, quilts, sheepskins, stuffed animals, and pillows in the crib or bassinet these can suffocate a baby ; and sharing a bedroom but not a bed with the parents for the first 6 months to 1 year. Also be sure to alternate the position of your baby's head from night to night first right, then left, and so on to prevent the development of a flat spot on one side of the head. Many newborns have their days and nights "mixed up. One way to help them is to keep stimulation at night to a minimum.
Keep the lights low, such as by using a nightlight. Reserve talking and playing with your baby for the daytime. When your baby wakes up during the day, try to keep him or her awake a little longer by talking and playing. Even though you may feel anxious about handling a newborn, in a few short weeks you'll develop a routine and be parenting like a pro!
If you have questions or concerns, ask your doctor to recommend resources that can help you and your baby grow together. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. Getting Help After the Birth Consider getting help during this time, which can be very hectic and overwhelming. Handling a Newborn If you haven't spent a lot of time around newborns, their fragility may be intimidating.
Here are a few basics to remember: Wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer before handling your baby. Newborns don't have a strong immune system yet, so they're at risk for infection. Make sure that everyone who handles your baby has clean hands. Support your baby's head and neck. Cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay your baby down. Never shake your newborn, whether in play or in frustration.
Shaking can cause bleeding in the brain and even death. If you need to wake your infant, don't do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby's feet or blow gently on a cheek. Make sure your baby is securely fastened into the carrier, stroller, or car seat.
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