At the nighttime feeding it may not be necessary to change your
baby’s diaper unless it is soaked or soiled. Remember, your goal is for
your baby to sleep through the night, not to wake up for a diaper change.
When your baby begins to sleep through the night, use a medium size
disposable diaper or two cloth diapers. They will seem larger only
because today’s babies are not expected to sleep through the night as
early as those on PDF.
Diaper Rash
A diaper rash may be caused by yeast infections, food allergies, new
teeth, or sitting too long in a messy diaper. If your baby has sensitive
skin, he or she may be more prone to diaper rash. Have your pediatrician
recommend an over-the-counter medication for minor irritations or a
prescription medication for more severe problems.
Grandparents
There is a special relationship between the third generation and the first.
Within reason, you will want to take advantage of every opportunity for
grandparents to enjoy your child. However, don’t assume your parents
want to baby-sit or abuse their generous offers to do so. And don’t
surrender your parenting responsibilities to your parents. While they may
very much enjoy their grandchildren, they are not the parents—you are.
Many grandparents travel a great distance to visit soon after the baby
is born. That visit can either be a blessing or a problem, depending on
your relationship and just how like-minded you are. You may want to ask
the traveling grandparents to visit ten days to two weeks after the baby is
born. By then you will have worked through your basic parenting
approach and will feel somewhat comfortable with what you are doing.
Having a high-powered, take-charge relative come in right after birth can
be very hard on a new mother’s emotions. A husband can help by
protecting his wife from unwelcome intrusions. We would strongly
suggest that you provide each set of grandparents with their own copy of