Test Your Infant Quotient: Preparing for a New Baby

When a baby comes into a family, especially a firstborn, it usually arrives along with a bundle of questions. Perplexed and anxious moms (and dads!) suddenly become quite unsure of how to take care of a new baby.
Joy Ty-Sy, M.D., pediatrician at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, says that when it comes to taking care of babies, “more than the academic know-how, [parents] must also be emotionally and spiritually ready to face this new chapter of life.”
Dr. Ty-Sy shares with us her expertise and experience as she provides insights into some of the most baffling mysteries in the realm of newborn care. Take the Infant Quotient Quiz, below, and test your knowledge about caring for a new baby. So get your pens and get cracking. Don’t be uptight as you go through the questions; relax, take a deep breath, and have fun!

Quiz to Test Your Infant Quotient
1. Why do babies seem to sneeze all the time?
a. Your home is too dusty
b. Nose is congested
c. They caught a cold

2. What causes the facial breakouts on your baby’s face?
a. Hormones
b. Dirt
c. It’s natural and it will disappear on its own

3. Why is there blood in your baby girl’s nappy?
a. The impurities inside are being flushed out
b. The baby’s uterus is stimulated by estrogen
c. There is an infection; call the doctor

4. Feeding infants cereal at night will make them sleep longer.
a. True
b. False

 

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5. Quality of sleep depends on how a baby is put to sleep.
a. True
b. False

6. When is the right time to start a baby on solids?
a. 2 months
b. 6 months
c. It’s not the same for all babies

7. The best way to bring down a fever is to...
a. Rub the skin with alcohol
b. Give paracetamol
c. Wrap baby in blankets so she will sweat the fever off

8. To help a baby walk sooner, use a walker.
a. True
b. False

9. A baby will automatically stop feeding when she’s full.
a. True
b. False

10. Until what age should a mother breastfeed her child?
a. 6 months
b. 1 year
c. 2 years

11. If you give pacifiers to your baby, he or she will most likely...
a. Have deformed teeth
b. Get a gassy tummy
c. Be alright

12. Baby massages can be started when the baby is:
a. 4 weeks old
b. 3 months old
c. Just a few days old

13. Shaking, jerking, or jolting a baby could lead to death.
a. True
b. False

14. What causes colic?
a. Stomach pain
b. Heat
c. Unknown

 

15. What is the best way to play with a newborn?
a. Talking and cooing
b. Carrying her around with you
c. All of the above

 

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ANSWER KEY:

A
1. b. Nose is congested
Babies have such tiny noses and just a small amount of mucus will make them sneeze. Since your newborn just came from your watery uterus, she’s likely to have a little congestion. This is the cause of all the sneezing. And unless she also has watery or thick nasal discharge, the sneezing is just a phase that she will eventually outgrow.

2. a. Hormones
Just a few weeks old and your little one might already have a flush of acne on her face. Don’t worry. This is caused by maternal hormones which are still coursing through your baby’s system. Don’t prick them or apply anything. Simply wash with clean water and the breakouts will fade on their own.

3. b. The baby’s uterus is stimulated by estrogen
During pregnancy, the surge in a mother’s estrogen levels can stimulate her female baby’s uterus. Within the first week of life, it is not uncommon for baby girls to have a “mini period.”

4. b. False
Research has shown that giving solids before bedtime does not help babies sleep through the night. Babies will eventually develop a sleep cycle between 3 and 6 months of age.

5. a. True
A baby’s ability to sleep through the night is dependent on how she is put to sleep, where she is put to sleep, and how parents respond when she wakes up at night.

6. b. 6 months
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, cereal and other solids should not be started until 6 months of age in order to reduce the risk of allergies.

7. b. Give paracetamol
Fever is a symptom, a sign that something is wrong in the body. In fact, fever may be helpful in fighting infections. Upon the advice of your pediatrician, the best way to deal with fever is to give the baby paracetamol. Rubbing the skin with alcohol is not a good idea as it can bring on chills. Furthermore, there have been cases of alcohol intoxication if too much is applied and absorbed by the skin.
Wrapping the baby in blankets is also not advisable since it only traps the heat inside. Let the baby’s body breathe by having her wear comfortable clothing. You can also wipe her skin with a wet (but not cold) wash cloth and quickly follow up each wipe with a dry one.

 

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8. b. False
The belief that babies will walk sooner with the help of a walker is not only false but also  dangerous. There have been walker-related accidents that involved children tipping over or falling down stairs. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there was an estimated 8,800 children younger than 15 months who were treated in hospital E.R.s in the U.S. for walker-related injuries in 1999.
Thirty-four walker-related deaths were reported from 1973 through 1998. Walkers may also delay walking since the muscles used when a baby is in a walker are not the ones she will use when walking on her own.

9. b. False
According to babycareadvice.com, babies don’t always let go of the breast when they are finished feeding. A lot of babies simply love to suck and sleep in their mother’s arms with the nipple still in their mouth.

10. a, b, and c
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for at least the first year. The decision on when to stop is a personal one that parents have to make. The World Health Organization, on the other hand, recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, and continuing on as you introduce solid foods.
Research suggests that breastfeeding for at least the first 13 weeks without any solids or formula will protect your baby against gastroenteritis and chest infections during her first year. It is completely normal to breastfeed until the child is 2 years old, and even beyond this period.

11. c. Be alright
There’s nothing wrong with giving your newborn a pacifier. Because some babies have a great need to suck, a blinky can quickly soothe them. Dr. Sy, however, advises to introduce pacifiers after the baby has mastered breastfeeding, just to avoid nipple confusion. Most babies give up the pacifier on their own anyway. If yours doesn’t, don’t worry. The American Academy of Pediatrics says it’s unlikely to harm her development.

12. a. 4 weeks
Baby massages can be introduced as early as 4 weeks. It is a very gentle way to relax both the mom and the baby. The gentle stroking encourages good circulation, stimulates the immature immune system, calms anxiety, and helps relieve colic. Through massaging, parents also become more confident in handling their child while bonding.

13. a. True
A baby’s brain and blood vessels are vulnerable to whiplash motions like shaking, jerking, jolting, and impact. The neck muscles are weak and cannot support the stress of shaking. Doing these to a small child can cause irreversible brain damage, blindness, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, spinal cord injury, seizures, learning disabilities, even death.

 

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14. c. Unknown
Colic is uncontrollable crying in a baby. The cause of colic isn’t known. Some say it is related to the digestive system, but there is little evidence to prove this. Another possible cause is temperament. Some babies may be highly sensitive to different things in their environment.

15. c. All of the above
Experts agree that newborns enjoy interacting with adults. So you can play with your baby by talking and cooing, or cuddling and smiling. However, make sure that she also gets time alone to rest, and to just gaze around and process everything that is going on around her. Carrying her around with you also gives her a great view of the world. Plus, the rhythm of your movements can be very soothing and comforting for an infant.