Mother and Baby Postpartum care information booklet All images authorized for reuse or reprinted with permission. Table of contents Important information .......................................................................................... 3 Caring for your baby ............................................................................................ 8 How do I change baby’s diaper? ........................................................................... 8 Where should baby sleep? ................................................................................. 10 Why is baby crying? ........................................................................................... 13 Keeping baby clean ............................................................................................ 17 What is normal? ................................................................................................. 24 How should baby move? .................................................................................... 24 My baby’s head is not round ............................................................................... 24 Are hiccups normal? ........................................................................................... 24 Baby has skin rashes ......................................................................................... 25 What is normal breathing? .................................................................................. 25 Why do my baby’s skin or eyes look yellow ........................................................ 26 What can I do if my baby has jaundice? .............................................................. 27 How do I take baby’s temperature? .................................................................... 28 Can I take baby outside? ................................................................................... 29 Feeding your baby ............................................................................................. 31 Breastfeeding ..................................................................................................... 31 Bottle-feeding ..................................................................................................... 41 Baby feeding record ........................................................................................... 46 Burping and spitting up ....................................................................................... 47 Is baby getting enough Vitamin D? ..................................................................... 48 Keeping your baby safe ..................................................................................... 52 Safety at home ................................................................................................... 52 Safety in the car .................................................................................................. 55 Taking care of yourself ...................................................................................... 60 Caring for your body ........................................................................................... 60 Caring for your breasts ....................................................................................... 63 Healing after childbirth ........................................................................................ 66 Where to get more information ......................................................................... 81 2 Supports for new parents Do you want to speak to a nurse? • Call Tele-Health Ontario 1-866-797-0000 They are open 24 hours A nurse can answer health questions and give you advice Do you want to learn more about being a parent? Toronto Public Health offers information about: • Feeding your baby • Looking after yourself • Supports in the community To find out more, call 416-338-7600 Toronto Public Health is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm You can also connect online: www.toronto.ca/health A note to fathers Dads, you are very important to your new baby and your partner. Remember to: • Take care of yourself. Eat well and sleep when you can. • Make time to enjoy and care for your new baby. There is a lot to learn about being a dad. You can get information online at www.dadcentral.ca 3 When to call 911 Go to emergency or call 911 if baby: • Looks blue • Has trouble breathing • Does not have much energy 4 Follow-up appointments Use this chart to keep track of your appointments. What When Date and time 2 to 3 days after you go Baby’s first check-up home 2 to 3 days after you go Phone call from home Healthy Babies, Healthy If you have given us Children permission to call Your post-delivery check-up 6 weeks after you give birth Do you need help with breastfeeding? Come to the breastfeeding clinic at St. Michael’s Hospital. Our hours are: • Walk-in on Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. • By appointment on Tuesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. We are on the 4th floor at 61 Queen Street West. To book an appointment, please call 416-867-7421. 5 When should I call the doctor? Babies are generally stronger than you may think, but health problems sometimes do happen. This chart tells you what to look for. Call your baby’s doctor if you notice any of the problems in this chart. Problems with baby Call your doctor or nurse if… Baby’s temperature Is 38° Celsius or higher (100° Fahrenheit) What is in baby’s Baby has fewer wet diapers every day diapers? Baby’s stool (poo) is watery Baby’s skin and eyes Look yellow Baby is crying Baby is crying for a long time It sounds like baby is in pain Feeding Baby refuses to feed 2 times in a row Baby vomits after 2 feedings in a row Sleeping Is sleeping much more than usual Activity Baby has no energy Baby is not moving very much Umbilical cord Baby’s cord is red The skin around baby’s cord smells bad Make sure to take care of your own health, too. The chart on the next page tells you what problems need to be treated. Call your doctor if you notice any of the signs listed on the next page. 6 Problems with you Call your doctor or nurse if… The discharge from your • Smells bad vagina • Soaks through more than 1 pad per hour Your temperature is • 38° Celsius (100° Fahrenheit) or higher • Your pain does not get better when you Your belly hurts and take medicine • You are taking more pain medicine each week • Feels very tired All over your body • Aches as if you have the flu • Have trouble breathing • Have a warm spot in your leg that hurts, is tender or looks red You • Have trouble peeing • Feel pain when you pee • Have a fever or chills • Very sad You feel • Anxious • You don’t want to be with your baby Problems with you Call your doctor or lactation consultant if… • Burn Your breasts • Hurt • Have red streaks • Have hard lumps • Cracked Your nipples are • Blistered • Bleeding 7 Caring for your baby How do I change baby’s diaper? As baby grows, you will need to change more and more diapers. By the time baby is 1 week old, you will need to change 6 to 10 diapers each day. Baby’s diaper will need to be changed soon after each feeding. Here is when to change baby’s diaper: • When it feels wet or heavy • When you see or smell stool (poo) Pay attention to what is in baby’s diaper. It can tell you if baby is healthy. Here is what is normal by the time baby is one week old: • You will need to change about 6 to 10 diapers every day • Baby’s urine (pee) should be pale • Baby’s pee should not smell strong • Baby should poop after every feeding or at least a few times each day • In the first week, the colour of baby’s poo should change. The first poo will be black. In a few days the poo should be yellow or mustard colour. • The texture of baby’s poo will also change. They will start our watery and become more grainy or seedy 8 How many diapers will I need to change? How old is How many How many What will I see? baby? wet diapers? poops? 1 day old 1 or 2 wet diapers At least 1 poop Poo will be black and sticky. □ wet diaper 1 □ 1 □ wet diaper 2 □ 2 2 days old At least 1 or 2 At least 1 poop Wet diapers may have pink □ wet diaper 1 □ 1 spots. □ wet diaper 2 □ 2 Poo will be black or greenish. 3 days old 3 or more At least 3 poops Wet diapers may have pink □ wet diaper 1 □ 1 spots. □ wet diaper 2 □ 2 Poo will be dark green or □ wet diaper 3 □ 3 yellow. 4 to 6 days 6 or more 3 to 4 poops No more pink spots in wet old □ wet diaper 1 each day diapers. □ wet diaper 2 □ 1 Poo may be soft, seedy and □ wet diaper 3 □ 2 yellow. □ wet diaper 4 □ 3 □ wet diaper 5 □ wet diaper 6 6 days to 6 to 8 wet diapers At least 3 poops Poo will be soft and yellow. 1 month old □ wet diaper 1 every day □ wet diaper 2 □ 1 □ wet diaper 3 □ 2 □ wet diaper 4 □ 3 □ wet diaper 5 □ wet diaper 6 □ wet diaper 7 □ wet diaper 8 9 Where should baby sleep? Your baby should sleep • On their back • On a flat, firm surface Baby should sleep in their own crib. Do not put baby in your bed. You can put baby’s crib next to your bed. Keep baby’s crib near your bed until they are 6 to 12 months old. Illustration used with permission from Hamilton Health Sciences, Hamilton ON Some things can be very dangerous for babies. Canada Here is how to keep baby safe: • Never cover your baby with blankets • Never give your baby a pillow • Never lay baby on their stomach • Never put baby to sleep in bed with you • Never put stuffed toys or bumper pads in baby’s crib 10 How long should baby sleep? Every baby is different. Some babies need only ten hours of sleep. Others need to