BellyitchBlog

Everybody knows that babies get dirty, however, only parents know the true extent of just how dirty that can get. New parents are in for a wild ride of drool, tears and the occasional diaper explosion. It can get messy and stressful, but those tender moments when your baby looks up at you and smiles make it all worth it. Baby’s bath time is important, yet for the first few months, you aren’t going to need to bathe them every day (until they start getting dirty, it’s recommended that you bathe them only two or three times a week).

However, hygiene is still an important part of their daily routine that you are going to want to instill in them. So, how do you keep your newborn clean between baths?

Regular Diaper Changes

Newborns under a month old should have their diapers changed right around ten times a day – definitely not less than six. They will typically have around three or four bowel movements a day. As they get older this number will change, below is a table detailing estimates of how many times a day you should change your baby and how many diapers a month that equates to:

Age Diaper Changes Per Day # Diapers Per Month

0-1 Month 10-12 320

1-5 Months 8-10 240

5-9 Months 8 240

9-12 Months 8 240

Remember, the above numbers are just an estimate – some babies will require more, some will require less. Diapers also need to be changed as soon as it is noticed that they are soiled. Urine and bacteria can lead to painful rashes that take time to treat.

Trim Their Nails

One of the most dreaded parts of taking care of your newborn is when it comes time to trim their little nails. Just like the rest of them, their nails have been growing since before they were born – so they may need a trim during the first week (and every two or three days of the first three weeks, until the nails harden and stop growing so quickly).

While one of your older relatives might suggest nibbling on them, you may peel them too far back which is, obviously, immensely painful. When clipping, hold your baby’s finger tight and press the the fingertip pad down and away from the nail – and of course, always using special baby clippers or scissors. Snip while following the gentle curve of their fingernail.

Wipe Them Down

No matter whether you’re at home or at the grocery store, you should always be sure to keep some baby wipes handy. You never know when they’re going to spit-up or have some other kind of fluid disaster – so be prepared for everything! It’s also a good idea to keep clean swaddling cloths on you at all times, too. Just like the top sheet on your bed keeps your blankets from becoming dirty, these handy baby sheets can be quickly swapped out for a clean one upon soiling.

When it comes down to it, you want to keep your baby as clean as possible to give them the best possible hygiene for a healthy and happy life!

Women who have IVF/ICSI infertility treatments have a 29% chance of conceiving naturally within six years of the cessation of treatments. These are the findings of an Internet survey conducted by a group of gynaecologists presented in the journal Human Fertility.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence estimates that one in seven couples in the United Kingdom are affected by infertility, with so-called ‘assisted reproductive technologies’ (ARTs) such as IVF and ICSI being widely employed. These treatments are emotionally and financially demanding, and not all couples will achieve a baby through these methods.

Research into conception rates after these treatments – whether successful or unsuccessful – has been limited, but the authors hope that their findings will be useful for counselling and reassuring women about their chances of natural conception after infertility treatment.

The researchers contacted users of an independent fertility website asking members who had received IVF/ICSI treatments to participate in their anonymous survey. From the 403 applicable responses (from a total of 484 responses), they found that of the 96 respondents who did not conceive through the course of the treatments, 34 subsequently conceived, leading to 30 live births. Of the 307 who conceived during the treatments, 84 also conceived post-treatment.

Lead author Samuel Marcus said “regardless of the outcome of IVF and ICSI treatments – whether the patients conceived or not – there is about a 30% likelihood of conceiving over a 6 year period.”

The authors do acknowledge some limitations in their paper, specifically that it relied on self-reporting, and that a selection bias may have been caused by pregnant couples being more willing to respond than disappointed couples.

In the study, the authors found that 87% of the spontaneous conceptions occurred within two years of finishing the infertility treatments, and over the six-year period following treatments 22% delivered a live baby. Whilst many couples may see treatments as IVF as a ‘last resort’ the researchers hope that their findings may offer hope to those in this unfortunate position.

Professor Allan Pacey, Editor in Chief of Human Fertility said “This is really useful information that doctors can use to counsel patients about their chances of pregnancy after undergoing assisted conception. It certainly suggests that there remains a reasonable chance of spontaneous pregnancy after IVF or ICSI has been attempted.”

newborn

Your Primer On Keeping Your Newborn Clean

Study: Close to 30% of Women Who’ve Had IVF Conceive Naturally Later