Being a parent to a newborn can be exhausting and very stressful trying to keep them healthy. Your baby is very vulnerable, and they can be exposed to plenty of germs and health risks. Providing the perfect atmosphere for them might seem impossible, but your baby’s health is in safe hands as long as you’re doing everything you can.

It’s not just your baby’s health you must look out for, though. Your health is now something you need to take much more seriously, as it will affect your baby as much as it is you.

Clean hands

Making sure your hands are clean has always been important, but if there’s ever been a time to be a little bit more cautious about it – it’s now. That’s not just you, either; it’s anyone who will come into contact with your baby. Germs can spread quickly and easily, and your baby hasn’t had the chance to build an immunity yet, so you must ensure that any guests you’re having are cleaning their hands thoroughly.

It would help if you made a point of carrying an antibacterial hand wash with you so that you’ve got easy access to it whenever you need it.

Healthy sleep habits

Sleep habits can be difficult to focus on, as being a parent to a newborn can really challenge your sleep cycle. However, you can do a few things to ensure your baby is getting enough sleep through the night. For example, taking the time to research the different types of crib mattress pads will help you pick the one that’s best for your baby.

Your newborn needs a lot of sleep, and it can range anywhere from 8 hours up to 18 hours – and if the sleeping conditions provided for them aren’t that great, it may affect their health growing up.

After a few months, as your baby starts to mature a little bit, getting them a healthy sleep pattern should be a bit easier. You can begin to introduce their own routine that helps them settle into sleep quicker. They’ll start associating the act with going to sleep, and it will be much easier for them to fall asleep around that time consistently.

Removing shoes in the house

Plenty of households are comfortable keeping shoes on while at home, and while there’s no real problem with that, a baby can change how you see that. It will take a few years before your child is developed enough to walk, and until then, your baby is going to be on the ground with any dirt that’s brought in by people’s shoes. Shoes can track in plenty of germs and harmful bacteria, which is why you must start to enforce a no-shoe policy in your home.

On top of the shoe policy, making a more considerable effort to keep your floors cleaner can help to maintain your baby’s health. Removing shoes won’t keep out all of the germs and bacteria, so it helps to be a little bit more vigilant when it comes to this.

Babyproofing your home

Your home has plenty of dangers for your newborn that aren’t germ related, and if you’ve never given babyproofing a thought – you may be surprised at the lengths you have to go through. Something as simple as corners on your furniture or open cupboards can be dangerous, let alone power outlets. There are a lot of babyproofing products on the market, and you should ensure your baby cannot harm themselves easily at home.

Of course, you can’t prevent every injury your child will sustain growing up, and a few scrapes, bumps, and bruises are typical for a child. It’s a part of learning, but it’s your job to ensure there’s nothing too harmful in their path.

Baby gates are an excellent way to prevent your child from getting out of certain rooms or away from the stairs, and there are many options for outlet covers that you should look up. Some styles of outlet covers can bring more danger than they protect from, so be careful when picking those out.

See your pediatrician

Not every parent is an expert on their baby’s health, and it can be hard at times to tell when something is wrong or if there’s just a minor issue. As a parent, it’s common to be overly concerned about your baby’s health, and if you think there’s something wrong – you shouldn’t be afraid to get in touch with an expert. You don’t want your baby’s health to be something you risk, so it can help to put your mind at ease by seeing your pediatrician. 

Even if it is a minor issue, it’s much better to be safe than sorry. Your pediatrician is used to calls from worried parents, so don’t be afraid to express your worries.

Put your foot down

When it comes to your baby’s health, you must be able to use your own authority from time to time. Your relatives aren’t always going to be able to touch the baby, nor will they be able to kiss the baby. When your child is particularly vulnerable, it might be better to hold off on letting others touch your newborn. Plenty of doctors recommend being a little more strict at the start because they’re more susceptible to getting sick.

Keeping them warm

Check your baby’s temperature throughout the day and see that they’re not sweating or shivering, as it can cause your newborn to get sick. Wherever you are with your newborn, you never want them to be too cold. The same goes for being too warm, and you must be careful when dressing them.

As a parent, it’s very common to be worried about everything your baby comes into contact with, but you can’t let it burn you out. If someone touches your child and there is nothing you can do about it, ensure to wipe it off once they’ve moved away. You don’t need to be confrontational, and it helps to keep your baby safe.