Having a new baby is a very exciting time in your life, and you want to make absolutely sure that you are doing what’s best for the child. As a result, you will likely have a lot of worries, as most new parents do. Do you know when you can take your baby out of the house for the first time? If not, visit https://bestforparents.co.uk. Have you got all the equipment you need? Are you ready to be sleep-deprived for a few months while the baby picks up a routine? This guide will help you through the fun and stressful early weeks when you and your baby are getting to know each other.
First-Time Parent?
If this is your first child, you may be concerned that you may not be able to take care of a child. You are not alone in this. Even though many parents do everything they can in preparation, such as buying prams and diapers, decorating their baby’s nursery with nursery wall decals, there are often feelings of doubt when the time comes to actually take the baby home for the first time. When it’s time to bring their new babies home from the hospital, a third of parents feel unprepared.
This is a completely natural feeling that parents, especially first-time parents, experience even if they are in reality extremely well prepared. Bringing home an entirely new human being that will depend on your love, support and care often evokes these feelings in even seasoned parents.
Sleeping Takes A While To Regulate
For the first few weeks after your baby is born, they will likely sleep for most of the day and night and mot babies will wake up 2-3 times during the night for feeding. This is because babies have shorter sleeping cycles than adults do.
To try and get on top of this, sit down with your partner and decide who will handle what feeds. Work out a rough schedule that will allow both of you to take turns getting up during the night and preparing feeds and comforting the baby.
Also, you’ll need as much sleep as you can afford as your body needs some good downtime to heal from the stressful process of giving birth. Your partner will also need time to rest as well so as the saying goes, and it is a good idea for one or both of you to sleep when the baby is sleeping, even if it is only for a short period of time.
Let Your New Baby Guide You in Breastfeeding.
At first, it may feel like your baby is always eating, but you and your baby will slowly fall into a rhythm, and the amount of milk you produce will slow down.
If you are struggling to get your new baby to breastfeed, there are many ways to encourage them with the most popular being an approach called baby-led breastfeeding. This approach takes advantage of a baby’s natural ability to locate and latch on to their mother’s breast when they are held skin-to-skin.
Trust Your Instincts
Although tools such as books and online newborn care classes, and the help of your own parents, family members and seasoned grandparents are fantastic, you are the expert when it comes to your baby, so trust your gut.
Every baby and parent is unique, and while help and advice from those who have done this before is invaluable, nobody knows your baby like you do.
Protect Your Family with Health Insurance
Insurance is one of the things that you pay for, and you believe (and hope) you will never need to use. Yet, it is never more useful than when a new infant comes along. Specialised family health insurance plans are a great way to ensure that if, god forbid, something is wrong with your newborn, then you can get the help you need quickly and without the worry of waiting times or cost. Ensure that your plan covers all foreseeable expenses and treatments that your infant will need. Dental and vision coverage is an added plus as you know sooner or later you will have to start seeing specialists like Market Mall Eye Clinic for glasses and prescriptions for your child.
Lastly, Embrace a Helping Hand
Between managing to feed the baby, changing diapers, putting the baby to sleep (which doesn’t happen as often as you’d like it to), you might be feeling like you’ve never been so tired. While it’s natural to think that all the parenting tasks have to be handled by you, that can easily get stressful and leave you no time for yourself. With the hustle-bustle of getting things done for your baby, you might not even get to spend quality time with the baby! Breathe, and know that it’s okay to ask for help. You might want to consider bringing in an extra hand, by reaching out to agencies that provide doula services and sleep training for babies. You’ll breathe a sigh of relief and hopefully have a wonderful and stress-free time, knowing that your baby is in safe hands.
Even otherwise, when friends and loved ones try to help you, allow them. Ask for help in watching the infant, sorting the laundry, or even just running a couple of simple errands – something that will benefit you the most. This will help reduce the strain on yourself and your partner and will allow you to focus solely on bonding with your new bundle of joy.
