Your 6 weeks old baby will also likely have an increased appetite. Keep drinking plenty of fluids to maintain an adequate supply of milk. The standard recommendation is between two and four litres per day. Your baby will also prefer your company to anyone else’s. It is a good idea to get him used to the various caregivers in his life, especially if you are a working mum who is planning to return to secular work.
Baby’s bonding time with Daddy is ideally in the evening during bath time and story time. Do not underestimate the role of your partner – even as early as 6 weeks of foetal development, babies can recognize the voice of their mother’s partner. Let them spend as much time listening to Daddy read, laugh and talk while experiencing the comfort of his touch.
You will notice that she responds to your smile and mirrors your eye gaze or follows you visually while you cross the room. Your 5-week baby may also be suffering from bouts of colic. How do you know if it is colic? The crying and abdominal discomfort will normally start and end at the same time each evening. There is no actual cure for colic in children and it usually disappears within three months.
Your 6 week baby is now able to stay awake for longer sessions, and spends up to 10 hours awake out of the 24 hours in a day. Your child will enjoy short sessions of play. Begin by playing with your child for 10 minutes at a time a few times a day. Singing, cooing, and peek-a- boo are likely to catch her interest, don’t forget to talk to your baby. Developmentally your child is sponge learning from each interaction with you. Your cuddles, conversational speech and singing will stimulate his brain development optimally.
Sticking to a bedtime routine will help your baby to have good sleep habits. Aim to have her bathed and settled by 6 pm each day. Put baby in a quiet and dark room with minimal sound and no stimulation. Beware of sleep mobiles as these can be too stimulating, according to sleep specialist Judy Clark. Remember to put your baby on her back to sleep. If you have noticed your baby has some cradle cap, wash their hair gently using plain water. Apply coconut oil or olive oil to soften the cradle cap – it will come off on its own.
You at 6 weeks of being a mum.
Your body – your hormones will be stabilizing after pregnancies so do not be surprised if you feel a bit weepy. If you do not feel like seeing, visitors just tell your intermediary to inform them that you are resting. It is also a good idea occasionally to take yourself and your baby out for short trips. You can take your stroller or drive to the mall or nearby parks or supermarkets just to get active. If you are recovering from a Caesarean Section or episiotomy, be sure to take it easy and have your ob-gyn or midwife monitor the wounds closely. Some mothers experience excruciating pain or infection from the wounds – if you feel you are not healing as fast as you should, seek medical attention. Also, if you are having difficulty producing enough breast milk, take heart. Help is available. Before considering adding formula to your baby’s diet, sign up for a lactation consultation with one of our Malaica experts in our post-natal care program.
