Taking care of a newborn is a terrifying prospect for first-time parents. Newborns have many needs; the first few months of their life can be demanding. Therefore, you must figure out how to take care of your newborn before things get more stressful.

Good thing we've got your back on this one. Here are five tips on how to take care of a newborn baby.

Get A Peaceful Night's Sleep

Getting enough sleep is crucial for both you and your little one. However, your baby will have an irregular sleep pattern and rarely sleep through the night, if at all, for the first few months.

To ensure both of you get plenty of rest, try to sleep when your baby sleeps, keep the environment around them calm and quiet, and nurse or bottle-feed them before bed. This will help them fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer while giving you some much-needed shut-eye.

Baby's First Bath

One of the first things you’ll do as a new parent is bathe your baby. Giving your newborn their first bath is a special moment and while it can be a daunting task, with a little preparation, it’s easy.

Gather all of your supplies before you start, fill the sink or tub with warm water (warm enough to be comfortable, not hot), and remember to support their head and neck and keep their umbilical cord dry while you bathe them. Dry and dress them quickly when you're finished to ensure they don't catch a cold.

Regular Feeding Routine

Newborns have an irregular sleep schedule and will likely sleep for nearly two-thirds of the day. Therefore, you must develop a routine feeding schedule and wake them up to feed them. But how frequently should one feed their baby? Feeding on demand, meaning whenever they are hungry, is the consensus when it comes to a newborn.

However, every 2-3 hours is the recommended time frame between feedings. How will you know when they're hungry? They will let you know by crying, putting their hands in their mouth, or making sucking noises. If you're having trouble with feeding your baby, click for more information.

Umbilical Cord Care

The umbilical cord is the tube that connected you to your baby during pregnancy. After giving birth, it is no longer needed and is clipped and clamped. Keep the cord clean and dry using a clean, soft cloth to wipe around the base of the cord and gently clean it with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol when it looks dirty.

Please resist the temptation to pull it off, as it will eventually dry up and fall off on its own. If two weeks have passed and there are signs the cord stump isn't healing properly, please contact your health care provider.

Bonding With Your Baby

Bonding with your baby is one of the most important things you can do as a parent. Physical touch and communication are vital for a baby's development and will allow your baby to excel in their communication skills later on in life. Talk to, cuddle and make eye contact with your baby often. These are great ways to bond.

Playing with your baby is also encouraged. Rough play like bouncing or throwing them in the air is not recommended at this stage, but age-appropriate games, songs, and other activities are lots of fun for both of you and will help your baby learn and develop.

Learning How to Care for Your Newborn

These tips and tricks are great, but ultimately, every baby is different with different needs and their own personalities. As a new parent, you will have to treat your little one as a tiny individual and learn how to care for them using the non-verbal cues they will undoubtedly give you.

Learning how to take care of a newborn is easier with the right tips, especially for first-timers. If you want to learn all you can, browse more of our posts for some extra parenting tips.