Congratulations, grandparents!
Remember when you had your first baby? It was probably the most exciting time of your life. Being a grandparent can be just as exciting. Keep in mind, however, that new parents may be a little nervous about their first and the responsibilities that go along with raising a child. You can help ease their worries by sharing stories about your first experiences with diapering, feeding, and caring for a baby. But recognize that the new parents may want to do things a little differently from how you did them with your first child.

While times have changed, most aspects of caring for babies haven't. They still need to be diapered when wet, fed when hungry, and comforted when crying. Some details of baby care have changed, however. Knowing about these changes can prepare you to help care for your new grandchild. We are providing current advice and information on baby care so you can help the new parents adapt to this anxious but exciting time.

The first few days at home
Novice parents will need time to adjust to living with a new member of the family. Although they may want to be alone with their baby in the beginning, they will most likely seek your advice on many aspects of baby care.

If you are going to help care for your grandchild, you may want to refresh your memory about some basics of infant care such as diapering, feeding, and holding the baby as well as putting baby to sleep.

Babies need lots of sleep.
Generally, newborns sleep between 18 and 22 hours each day. Babies do not require absolute quiet to fall asleep. In fact, it is not advisable to accustom baby to sleeping in total silence, because then he or she may awaken at the slightest sounds. On the other hand, because loud noises and bright lights may startle your grandchild from a sound sleep, try not to drop things or turn on lights near the baby.

Holding your grandchild
It may have been a while since you've held a newborn. Remember, your grandchild's head and neck muscles won't be fully developed until about the third month. Until then, you will have to support the head with your hand and the neck with your arm. Always keep the back of your grandchild's head supported, so that it doesn't flop forward or backward. When lifting the baby from a lying position, provide support by slipping one hand under the neck and head, and your other hand under the baby's buttocks.

When it's time for a change
You're probably already familiar with how to change diapers, but again, some time may have passed since you've done it. There are different kinds of diapers (cloth and disposable), so ask the parents which type they're using. Before you spend time alone with your grandchild, watch how the parents change the diaper and try it yourself while one of them is around.

A baby's diaper should be changed whenever it is wet and right after a bowel movement. The stool of a newborn may not have an odor, so check frequently to see if the baby needs changing. Newborns will usually need 8 or 9 diaper changes a day. We now know that changing diapers frequently will help reduce the chance of diaper rash, which is often caused by irritation from stools or urine.

Keeping your grandchild warm and clean
If your grandchild needs a fresh set of clothes while you are looking after him or her, keep in mind that, as a general rule, baby will be most comfortable when dressed in one layer more than an adult. If you are worried that the baby might not be warm enough, touch baby's legs and arms. If they feel cold, put on additional covers.

Feeding your grandchild
Today, much more is known about the nutritional requirements of infants. Breast milk is best for babies. It provides them with all the nutrients they need and even protects them against infection. But if mother does not breastfeed, the baby's doctor may have recommended an infant formula. Like breast milk, a quality infant formula provides proper amounts of all the nutrients your grandchild needs.

Though cow's milk was once used as an alternative to breastfeeding, most leading medical authorities today agree that it is not suitable for the newborn infant. Cow's milk has too much of some nutrients, such as protein and salt, and not enough of others, such as iron and certain vitamins.

If you are taking care of a breastfed baby, mother may express her milk and leave it for feeding time. Whether expressed or formula, ask mother how much baby drinks at each feeding. Also, find out the baby's feeding schedule, write it down, and keep it handy. Most newborns eat about every 3 or 4 hours.

If you need to prepare formula, carefully follow all the instructions on the can. Don't forget, babies need to be burped periodically during feeding. Babies are usually their own best judges as to how much they should take at a given feeding. Generally, a baby will stop and turn away from the bottle, or even fall asleep, when satisfied. Any leftover milk or formula should be discarded.

The beginning of a new generation
As you know, the responsibilities of raising a child are tremendous. By sharing your knowledge and experiences with the new parents, you, the grandparent, can help them care for their baby. The time you spend with this new family member will bring back memories of your own children. Love, warmth, and caring are all you'll need to be successful in your new role in the family: the proud grandparent.