AY Honors/Child Care/Answer Key

2. List all the precautions to be taken when preparing the baby's bottle; prepare it and give it to the baby.

Preparing the bottle

• Make sure the bottle is clean.
• If using formula, make sure you mix it according to the directions.
• If using milk, put only as much as the baby needs in the bottle. The baby's usual care giver should be able to tell you how much and how often the baby should be fed.
• Some babies will drink milk cold, but others will need it to be heated first.
  • Contrary to popular belief, the bottle can be heated in a microwave oven, so long as the milk is mixed well after it comes out. The problem with heating milk in a microwave is that it heats the milk unevenly. There may be pockets of milk that are hot emough to burn the baby's mouth, while other parts of the milk are still cold. Shake the milk vigorously after removing it from the microwave.
  • You may also heat the milk in a saucepan.
  • Before giving heated milk to a baby, always check its temperature by squirting some on your wrist or on the soft side of your forearm. These areas of your body are sensitive to heat. If the milk feels too hot, do not give it to the baby. Instead, mix up some more, heating it less, or put it in the refrigerator until it cools sufficiently.

Feeding the baby

• Infants cannot hold the bottle for themselves, so you will have to do this for them.
• A very young baby does not have sufficient strength in her neck muscles to support her head. In this case, you must support the baby's head while feeding her.
• Be sure to hold the bottle such that the milk always covers the nipple. If you quit paying attention and the bottle slips around causing the baby to suck air instead of milk, the baby will swallow the air and get a tummy ache.
• When the baby quits drinking the milk, take away the bottle. Then burp the baby. This is done by holding the baby against your chest with her head over your shoulder. Lightly pat the baby on the back until she burps. She may discharge some of the milk on your shoulder when she burps, so be prepared for that. That's just the way babies are!
• If the baby is old enough to hold the bottle by herself, keep an eye on her while she drinks it. It is bad practice to give a baby a bottle when you put her down to go to sleep. Often when this is done, the baby will fall asleep without swallowing the last mouthful of milk, and this will cause tooth decay. Furthermore, the baby does not learn to go to sleep without the bottle.

3. Prepare, bathe, change and dress the baby.

Preparing the bath

Babies cannot tell you if the water is too hot, so you must be careful to ensure that the temperature is right. Fill the tub with about two inches (5 cm) of water, and check that the temperature is comfortable. You do not want it to be too hot, nor should it be too cold.

Bathing the baby

You must always stay with the baby when it is in the tub. A baby can easily drown in even half an inch of water. If the phone rings, do not leave the baby so you can answer it. Let it ring, or take the baby with you (wrap her in a towel so she does not get cold) when you go to answer it. The same goes for the doorbell, or any other distraction.

Use a gentle soap and shampoo on the baby. Babies' skin is more sensitive than yours, so you must use extra gentle soap. Also, be careful to not get any soap or shampoo in the baby's eyes. Baby shampoo and soap will not damage the baby if it does get in the eyes, but it will hurt, and the baby will cry. You can buy a visor to put around the baby's head to divert the water out of her face when rinsing shampoo out of her hair. Otherwise, you can tilt her head way back (support it with your hand!), and carefully rinse her head that way.

Dressing the baby

When you are finished rinsing the baby, lift her out and carefully wrap her in a towel. Drain the tub immediately. Do not let the water stand in the tub, as the baby could find her way back to the tub, fall in, and drown. Gently dry the baby. You may wish to powder her behind before putting a diaper back on her. It is difficult to get the baby's diaper area dry with only a towel, and powder will help with this. Do not use too much, and be careful not to make powder clouds for you and the baby to inhale. Once powedered, she is ready to be diapered.

Lay the baby on her back, and slip the diaper underneath her hips. Then draw the front of the diaper up towards her tummy. If you are using disposable diapers, undo the adhesive from the back of the diaper and fasten it to the front. Do this on both the left and the right (the order does not matter). Remember that the adhesive will not stick if you get powder on it, so do not expose the adhesive until the powder has settled. Do not draw the diaper too tightly. You should be able to slip two finger into the diaper at the baby's hip. If you cannot, the diaper is too tight. The diaper should be tight enough so that it does not fall off. If you can slip four fingers into the waistline, it may be too loose. Adjust as necessary. You will eventually get the hang of it, so that you won't need to check and recheck.

Finally, put the baby's clothes on her. Be carefull not to pinch her when you do this, and make sure the clothes are not twisted and that they lay right.