Dressing your baby If you plan to take your baby out, dress your baby in clothes that fit well and in an extra piece of clothing than an adult would need due to the weather. Don’t overdress your baby in the summer. In winter, you should give your baby a hat to protect his or her head from getting cold. When dressing your baby, let your baby lie down flat so that you can free your hands to do other things. When dressing your baby, you need to do everything for your baby. It will take some time from this until your baby can put his hands out from inside the cuffs by himself under your guidance, which also requires you to put his arms out from inside both cuffs, and legs. No matter what anyone says, don’t put shoes on your baby because your baby doesn’t need them, and, until your baby starts walking, he doesn’t need to wear shoes. Because shoes may hinder the normal development of your baby’s foot arch, only small shoe covers and socks are needed at this time. Skin care Newborn babies have thin and delicate skin that requires special care. Your baby cannot be exposed to direct sunlight at this time, so avoid taking him or her out into direct sunlight, especially during the hotter months and between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. It is okay to be outdoors when the light is not strong to help reduce jaundice and prevent calcium deficiency. In the summer, wear a hat with a wide brim to cover your baby’s face. In winter, make sure to keep your baby warm and wear enough clothing to cover all of your baby’s skin as much as possible to prevent illness from cold. To keep the room moist, use a humidifier, but make sure it is clean to prevent mold growth, which can be spread to the air and cause respiratory infections. Nail care Although newborns’ fingernails are very soft and delicate, they can still hurt the baby’s face if the baby is used to scratching, so it is important to keep the baby’s nails neatly trimmed. When using nail clippers to trim your baby’s nails, place their fingertips away from the nails to avoid cutting into your baby’s fingers. Trimming your baby’s nails with nail clippers can be complicated at first, so if you feel uncomfortable, try trimming his or her nails with a nail file. Your baby’s nails grow much faster than you think, and you may need to trim your baby’s fingernails every 1 or 2 weeks. Dental care Although your newborn baby is not yet teething, this is still a great time to give him dental care. Simply dip a piece of gauze in water and wipe along your baby’s dental cavity, as often as possible after the last feeding of the day. Some newborns may be born with 1 or 2 teeth, in which case make sure you brush their teeth with a soft baby toothbrush. Brush several times a day: after the first and last feeding. Toothpaste is not necessary for babies less than 6 months old, and frequent use of toothpaste can sometimes lead to fluoride overdose. Another way to prevent tooth decay is to not give your baby a pacifier at night. Giving milk to your baby at night can cause permanent damage to your baby’s teeth, so if your baby becomes dependent on milk at night, replace the milk in the bottle with water.