Basic Child care

Infants should never be transported in a motor vehicle without proper

restraint. Infant car seats should face the rear of the car until the infant is 12
months of age and weighs 20 pounds (AAP, 2010a). The car seat should be
secured tightly in the center of the back seat. The infant should never be
placed in a front seat that is equipped with an airbag.
Infants should never be left unattended in a motor vehicle. The temperature
rises very quickly inside a closed vehicle, and an infant can suffocate from
heat in a closed vehicle in the summer. Even during cooler weather, the heat
generated within a closed vehicle can reach three to five times the exterior
temperature. Kidnapping is also a concern if the baby is left unattended in a
vehicle. Additional information on car safety can be found on

The let-down re f ex is responsible for the release of milk from these reservoirs.
When the baby sucks at the breast, oxytocin is released from the posterior pituitary,
causing the lactiferous sinuses to contract. This allows milk to let down into the
nipples, and the infant then sucks the milk. The let-down reflex is triggered not only
by suckling at the breast but also by thinking of the baby or by the sound of a baby
crying. After the foremilk is let down, new, fattier milk is formed. This hind milk
helps the breastfed infant to grow quickly (Shelov & Altmann, 2009). Mothers should
be informed that the production of oxytocin during suckling may also cause uterine
contractions and may cause afterpains during breastfeeding

FEEDING PATTERNS
Infant feeding is an opportune time to establish good eating behaviors. The infant
should always be held while being bottle-fed. Cradling in a semiupright position
allows for additional bonding time, as the infant can see the caregivers face while
feeding (Fig. 3.13). Talking or singing during feeding time also increases bonding. As
with breastfed infants, the bottle-fed infant should be fed on cue. Overfeeding with
the bottle increases the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, so families need to
learn their babys cues to hunger and satiety (NAPNAP, 2011a). It is important to
feed the baby when he or she displays signs of hunger. Crying is a late sign of
hunger; earlier signs include making sucking motions, sucking on hands, or putting
the fist to the chin. The infant should be burped two or three times per feeding,
when he or she slows feeding or stops sucking. Newborns may only take a half-

ounce to 1 ounce per feeding initially , working up to 2 to 3 ounces in the first few
days. They need to feed about 6 to 10 times per day. The infant will gradually be
able to ingest more formula per feeding. By 3 to 4 months of age, babies feed four
or five times per day and take 6 to 7 ounces per feeding. Most infants will not
require specific amounts per feeding; the infant should be fed until full. To prevent
overfeeding, healthy bottle-fed infants should be allowed to self-regulate the
amount of formula ingested per feeding. When the baby is satiated, he or she might
fall asleep, spit out the nipple or formula, play with the nipple, or lie quietly, only
sucking once in a while (Shelov