Newborn Nursery CARE FOR BABY!

BATHE BABY
Although real babies should be bathed often, YOUR baby should NEVER be bathed. If baby gets dirty, then have your mommy help you wipe baby with a little gentle soap and water and a soft cloth. Be careful to NEVER get baby’s hair wet!

CHANGE BABY
Babies need to be changed A LOT! They eat a lot and they... well...they poop a lot. Check your baby often and see if the diaper needs to be changed. Gently wipe baby’s bottom, apply baby powder, and put on a fresh diaper. Babies get cranky in dirty diapers.

FEED BABY
Babies are growing all the time, so they are HUNGRY all the time! Although it’s best to try to get baby to eat at regular times, be sure to have a bottle around just in case baby gets cranky!

HOLD BABY
It’s very important that you hold baby. It’s one of the most important ways to show them that they are safe and are loved. When you hold then, smile at them, talk to them, and rock them back and forth. That’s what good mommies do!

KEEP BABY WARM
Who doesn’t love to snuggle up in a warm blankie? Babies love that too! Wrap baby in a favorite blanket that’s soft and colorful. Also be sure to keep baby dressed properly for the weather. Babies are just like you: They like to wear fewer clothes on hot days and bundle up with more clothes on cold days.

READ to BABY
Don’t you like it when mommy or daddy reads you your favorite book? Baby likes the sound of mommy’s voice too. When you read to baby, make your voice express what’s going on in the story. Baby will pay attention to the ups and downs in your voice. Please don’t read anything scary to baby. Maybe baby will like your favorite stories too? If you can’t read yet then maybe you can hold baby when mommy or daddy reads to you. Won’t that be nice?

TUCK BABY IN
Babies need LOTS and LOTS of sleep. They grow so fast that their little bodies need rest. It’s important to train baby to go to sleep and wake up at the same time. Otherwise they will wake up in the middle of the night, when YOU want to be sleeping. Tuck them in with their favorite blankie, and sing them a lullaby. If they’re fussy, then hold them and rock them. Stroke their hair and their eyelids. See how sleepy baby is getting?

GOING OUTSIDE WITH BABY
Don’t you love talking walks? Well so does baby. Fresh air and sunshine makes babies happy and healthy. They like to ride in cars too, but they’ll probably fall asleep. Don't keep your baby doll in the sun...like real babies, their skin is sensitive to sunlight and will get sunburned!

LOVE BABY
Babies have lots of needs, and rely on you to take care of them. One of the most important is the need for LOVE. Open your heart to your baby! You will find that loving someone else is the greatest gift you can give yourself. Do you think you might want to have a real baby some day?

ASK YOUR MOMMY or DADDY
If you have questions about how to take care of your baby, talk to your own mommy or daddy. They’ve had lots of wonderful experience with YOU, and they’d probably like to share it.