Newborn baby care
Caring for a newborn can be exciting and challenging for new parents
I remember how it felt to suddenly prioritise my babies feeding and sleeping, sometimes to the point of mental and physical exhaustion. I had one of those babies that just wouldn’t sleep. No matter how much I tried he just woke up all the time. And then one day it resolved! I remember waking up in the middle of the night to check him because he was so quiet, I couldn’t believe that he was finally getting into his sleep routine.
Mums and dads often put lots of pressure on themselves in thinking about ‘routine’ and achieving it. Some parents tell me that they feel there is judgement and stress pushed onto them by social media, self-help guides and sometimes family members who ask constantly ‘have you tried?’ I really feel for parents who have a baby who cries unconsolably without any obvious reason. I always like to do home visits for children because it gives me a chance to see them in a relaxed environment and I find I can offer an outside perspective on possible changes that could be implemented and tried again. Nothing is forever and challenging times will pass, a baby is constantly changing and growing and so are you.
Crying
Babies cry to communicate whether its hunger, finding their caregiver or just plain tiredness (Michelsson, 2001). A babies first cry is well rehearsed in the womb before birth, they have been making facial expressions in order to make sure the cry happens. A birth cry kickstarts the breathing reflex, coughing as they clear fluid away in order to push air through their vocal cords.
Crying can also be frustrating especially if there doesn’t seem to be any obvious cause.
A quick checklist for crying:
When was baby’s last feed? Are they a fussy feeder?
Does baby have wind? Is it frequent and is there a smell?
Is the nappy wet? How many nappies daily and colour of stool?
Is the crying for attention?
Is baby too hot or cold?
Overstimulated?
Developmental crying can sometimes last up to a total of 5 hours daily. Some studies indicate that 2 in 10 infants cry in the first few months for no apparent reason which is extremely challenging for sleep deprived parents (NCT 2024). New-borns can cry not only to call mum and dad but also to communicate request or difficulty with the type of care that is being given to them by the caregiver (Sander et al., 1970, Cecchini, 2007). Sometimes parents are unable to soothe a baby, it’s so important in these instances to discuss how they are managing things and search for tips and tricks on how to change tiny elements in the baby’s life to help.
Sleep
Sleep is the time when a baby’s body is hard at work developing and growing and good sleep helps regulate brain development, mood and immune function so the quality of the sleep is fundamental to a baby’s overall health. Osteopathic Cranial sacral treatments consist of gentle movement through the baby’s body to ease areas of tension. Parents often report to me that their baby just feels easier after treatment, and they can settle well after feeding. I also like to give massage techniques to carry on with at home for baby so that they continue to feel gently guided into relaxation.
Feeding
Feeding is brand new to a baby like everything. For some it’s a skill to master and takes time but as soon as they perfect it mum often forgets there was ever an issue to begin with. Tongue tie can sometimes be a cause of poor latching, I like to watch a baby feeding because it gives me a chance to see the baby’s feeding time and movement in action. Some mums have uncomfortable breast feeds due to mastitis or engorgement so its always a good idea to discuss how mum is doing with feeding and how she is naturally healing any discomfort that might be occurring.
Hunger signs in baby simple check
· Licking lips
· rooting for the breast
· fist towards or in mouth
· getting agitated crying
· excess saliva
Mums naturally monitor feeds and duration, keeping an eye on whether a baby looks a little dehydrated (depression in fontanel, lacking in energy) which is very important. Occasionally, simple alterations in feeding technique or type of milk can be beneficial, although you must not change milk unless advised by your paediatrician.
Slow digestion
Some baby’s bowels can be a little slow to get activated and there may be some upset in the nerves supplying the stomach. This gut reaction can also result in crying and discomfort. I use gentle osteopathic massage to ease restrictions that can help improve overall function. The immature gut microbiome may be deficient in some of the bacteria needed to help digestion. If mum is breast feeding then it is doubly important that her own eating habits are regular and healthy in order to pass on carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals to baby. All of these help them grow and build up strong immunity. Mums milk equips the baby to stage its immune response against nasty pathogens which can be lifelong for the baby (Reyman 2019, Knoop 2020).
Colicky pain
The exact cause of colic is unknown, but it is believed to be connected to gastrointestinal discomfort in a baby’s immature digestive system leading to bouts of excessive crying with symptoms peaking at 6 weeks and usually subsiding by 12 weeks (Banks, 2023). It’s a real challenge for new parents in terms of management as well as sleep deprivation, especially when night after night no amount of consoling seems to do the trick.
Simple steps to try with colicky babies
shushing
white noise
rocking and winding
caregiver going for a walk or drive with baby
sling carrying
The key features of colic
crying often inconsolable, irritability
leg drawing
tummy tension
excessive wind
I like to observe feeding postures as well as pacifying methods that are being used to see if anything can be adapted or included. For bottle fed babies some parents recommend vertical feeding bottles or curved bottles which limit too much air flow. Gentle abdominal massage helps symptoms subside at times and reducing background stimulation or warm bath can also bring some ease.
Allergies
On occasion the baby’s gut might be too immature to break down the milk proteins supplied and, in some cases, allergies can develop which necessitates changing the type of milk they feed on. This should only be done under the guidance of a paediatrician.
Posture and birth stress
Instrumental deliveries and birth trauma rates have fallen over the years but unfortunately some births don’t go according to plan and interventions such as ventose or forceps may be required. Some of these methods can place emergency and necessary pressure on baby’s head (Merriam, 2013). A baby can have neck tension which might affect feeding so it’s important to be mindful of the feeding postures and try to change them if they are increasing the tension. This applies also to sleep position and neck issues.
Tummy tension
I find that abdominal tension in babies can go undiagnosed, Osteopaths can help find some of the factors behind the tummy tightness and I find that Osteopathic cranial sacral treatment work with the natural balance in the body by encouraging rhythms and relaxation needed for sleep and good digestion.
Simple easing of wind:
rubbing and patting them on the back.
massage gently around the tummy in clockwise rotations
bending the knees gently and moving the legs towards tummy
Stretching and rocking
Attention
Sometimes babies are checking mum and dad are still there, it may be necessary to make changes in your own care giving habits, altering the way you attend to your baby and the frequency, which can be one of the most difficult things to do as a parent. All we want to do is respond quickly to distress and help but a baby may be picking up on cues for reassurance and interaction rather than anything being wrong. Babies are amazing at sensing our emotions so a stressed caregiver can further increase distress. It’s important to just take some time out as long as the baby is safe for even a few minutes and help calm yourself before continuing to care.
Just Tired
Just as we adults become overtired by lots of activity, a baby can simply be exhausted and overtired by being tired! Try and find somewhere quiet to settle them without big noises and strong smells like cooking. I know some parents who use white noise devices to successfully soothe into deep sleep.
Osteopathic treatment gives new mums and dads support and opens discussion regarding factors that could be influencing a baby’s growing. Gentle Osteopathic cranial sacral treatment and delicate touch help find and release areas of tension as well as restoring balance, which relaxes a baby and eases areas of tension in due course.
In an emergency, you can get NHS advice by calling 111. If you fear you baby is in immediate danger, call 999.
NCT support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: 0333 252 5051.
references
Banks JB, Rouster AS, Chee J. Infantile Colic. [Updated 2023 Oct 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518962/
Cecchini, M., Lai, C. and Langher, V. (2007) ‘Communication and crying in newborns’, Infant Behavior and Development, 30(4), pp. 655–665. doi:10.1016/j.infbeh.2007.03.002.
Knoop, K.A. et al. (2021) ‘Regulatory T cells developing peri-weaning are continually required to restrain th2 systemic responses later in life’, Frontiers in Immunology, 11. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2020.603059.
Merriam, A. et al. (2017) ‘Trends in operative vaginal delivery, 2005–2013: A population based study’, BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 124(9), pp. 1365–1372. doi:10.1111/1471-0528.14553.
Michelsson, K. et al. (1982) ‘Sound spectrographic cry analysis in Neonatal Diagnostics. an evaluative study’, Journal of Phonetics, 10(1), pp. 79–88. doi:10.1016/s0095-4470(19)30912-x.
Reyman, M. et al. (2019) ‘Impact of delivery mode-associated gut microbiota dynamics on health in the first year of life’, Nature Communications, 10(1). doi:10.1038/s41467-019-13014-7.
Sander, L.W. et al. (1970) ‘Early mother-infant interaction and 24-hour patterns of activity and sleep’, Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 9(1), pp. 103–123. doi:10.1097/00004583-197001000-00006.
https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/crying/why-do-babies-cry-reasons-and-responses
Would you like further support?
I’d be happy to help with any questions you have. Get in touch using the button below.
