I am expecting my first baby in January.
Being a first time mom to be, and going to be alone here after delivery
(as my mother did not get her visa) ,I have a lot doubts in my mind regarding the baby. Any experience mom, please help me by clearing my doubts.

1. How many days do I need to take rest after the delivery? If it is a vaginal, how many days? If it is C-section, how many days? If I have C-section Can I lift my baby for the first week? When Can I start my regular household works, atleast coking?
2. What is the ideal room temperature for the baby? Can I use the AC/Heater to adjust the room temperature? Is Humidifier a must have?
3. Can I swaddle the baby and put him to sleep? Can I cover him with blanket while sleping? Will it cause suffocation?
4. Do I need to take baby's temperature daily?
5. Is there any food that I should avoid during breastfeed which causes gas in baby?
6. How do I know if the baby has gas problem?
7. Can I put a new born baby in Swing?
8. Do I need to wash the baby's head daily?
9. Do I need to buy breast pump? (I am not working right now)
10.How often should I breastfeed him? How many minutes on each breast?
11.I know we should burp the baby after feeding. How do I know the baby has burped? Will he make burp noise like elders?

I am so sorry asking all these silly questions. But I do not have any experience with babies. I did not even hold a small baby in my entire life. So please advise me.

Thanking you in advance,
Mom to be anish replied. Hi,

Be cool... I am a mother of 5mth old baby and had my delivery throu c-section. Although its really tough to handle cooking immediately. You can do cooking (by standing without bending) after 2 weeks. You should have courage and definitely ur inner-strength will lead you. Don't confuse urself for anything relax and enjoy ur pgncy, and read about baby handling methods and giving bath technique.... because u won't get time after that. Keep everything ready for your baby (i hope u finished ur shopping), try to have ginger juice every morning, this will help to avoid collic of baby and have lots of garlic bulbs...to avoid gas pbm of baby. Try to get udwards gripe water/bonnyson and give this every day to the baby from the third week of birth...this will help for baby's digestion and to relieve collic. Almost all babies used to pass throu the phase \";Collic\"; for the first 3 months...so try to have this. Add methi seeds regulary to your food. This will help for your milk supply. Have good food and don't try to be under diet....because ur milk supply will get affect. You should feed ur baby effectively, so read about breast feeding techniques and methods to keep ur milk supply good. As from my experience, the first two weeks you won't get any problem from the baby side , but from the 3rd week the real hectic schedule will start. Don't be afraid. Enjoy your baby.

tk cr & all the best
anish tina replied. Here are some of the answers to my experience:
1. Vaginal delivery takes less time than c-section. You have to be extra careful with C-section - 1 month avg. Vdelivery-You can start cooking in 2-3 weeks
3. Depends on the baby, Some times you have to swaddle babies to put 'em to sleep. Sometimes they go to sleep if they are full. Newborn need 16-18 hours sleep daily. Cover with blanket make sure it's below the shoulders. Head support pillow and hat is very good. You'll need baby flannel sheets to wrap the baby.
4. In hospital they take baby temp daily, but once u come home if u think the body is warm than reg, it's good to take the temp. I do every 2-3 days for my newborn. It's good to have baby safety first kit, which includes baby thermometer, baby nail clipper, etc.
5. ya, not sure which ones.
7. Not new born immediately, cuz the body is so soft and the head too.
8. First two weeks they suggest warm spounge bath, till the umbilical cord comes off. They ask u to clean umbilical cord area with alcohol pad. Not really, the head is also very soft, after that u can ask ur ped.
9. You don't have to unless u would be working or storing bm. I had to use the pump since i had breast engorgement. Please start feeding the baby in the hospital, you would have lactation nurse to teach/help u how to feed the baby.
10. When they get hungry. If they don't wake up in 3-4 hours try to wake them up slowly and feed them. Breast fed nb get hungry faster than formula fed. I do 10-15 mins on each one, and burp them after each feeding.
11. Burp after each side bfeeding. If you slowly lie them on your shoulders, slowly rub or pat on the back, (make sure u hold the head) & they will burp, you can hear them. Or rub on their tummies, that will let gas pass out.
no problems, no questions to babies are silly. your ped and ob/gyn will come visit u in the hospital, if u have questions, make a list and you can ask him/her.
good luck and take care
tina ck replied. I hv answered as much as I know... Hope it helps u.

1. Usually it requires atleast 1 month full rest(meaning just taking care of ur baby, feeding and changing). Also it depends on how u feel. Listen to ur body.
2. 72 deg F is what my pedi. told. AC/Heater is good. If u feel ur skin is dry with internal heating, humidifier is must.
3. For initial few weeks swaddling will make ur baby feel secure, also handling a swaddled baby is easier. Some babies don't like it. It depends on baby, u hv to go by trial and error method. U can cover the baby with blanket till the chest, but u hv to check now and then he didn't cover his face with that. Some babies can do that...
4. No need to take baby's temp daily.
5. Onions, cabbage, any vegetable with lot of water in it, toor dal, cauliflower.
6. Baby will cry unnecessarily after feeding is one of the symptoms of gas. U hv to check with the pedi. to conclude that it is gas.
7. Not till the baby's neck is stiff(after 3 months).
8. No need, it is upto the mom and baby's health n weather.
9. Having one will be very useful(allows somebody else to feed the baby while u take rest or helps to relieve engorgement or save BM for future use).
10. It is usually 10 to 15 minutes on each breast and feed once in 2 or 3 hrs(feeding start time has to be taken for start time). Also it depends on ur baby's hunger, there is no hard and fast rule.
11. make the baby sit on ur lap, baby's body tilted a little forward and gently stroke his back from shoulder to lower back. Baby gives a small burp sound. U can hv the baby on ur shoulder and make him burp. Also u can burp the baby putting on his tummy. Nurses in the hospital can show u that or ask them to show u how to burp.

Ask any such doubts to the nurses/pediatrician at the hospital where u deliver. They will help u out.

These doubts r normal for first time mom. I'm a first time mom too, I'm happy that I'm little experienced to share something I knew from the last few weeks.

Best Wishes,
CK meena replied. my mom told me this:
avoid onion to avoid gas problem
also avoid besan to avoid motions problem to baby while breast feeding