Becoming a parent for the first time is an amazing thing. However, there is no getting away from the fact that it is also overwhelming, exhausting, and confusing at times. Just because you now have a child, that doesn’t mean you automatically know just how to take care of them, and it’s a case of learning as you go along a lot of the time.
Yet there are things you can learn in advance that will help you settle into parenthood more easily and, crucially, more confidently. With that in mind, read on for some useful tips that will help you right from the start of your parenting journey.
Be Careful When Holding Your Baby
Holding your baby is one of the best things you can do – it’s a great way to bond, and it’s simply lovely to be as close to them as possible. However, many new parents are nervous about holding their baby because their child seems so small and fragile. The first thing to know is that your baby is not as delicate as they seem. That doesn’t mean you can be rough with them – far from it – but it does mean that you don’t have to be afraid. You’re not going to hurt them by picking them up and moving them around.
The key is to be careful and hold them in the right way. That means holding their neck and head at the same time. A baby’s neck muscles aren’t strong enough to support the head, so if you don’t support it for them, it will drop down, and that could be painful. At about three months, the neck should be strong enough.
Take Them Out
Something else that new parents are often concerned about is leaving the house in the first few days, weeks, or even months of their baby’s life. This makes sense; leaving the house used to be such an easy thing to do, a question of putting on your shoes and grabbing your keys and phone, and that was it. Now that you have a baby, there are so many other things to think about, including making sure you have diapers, a change of clothes, milk, and much more.
It’s vital to take your baby out and about from an early age as it’s good for their health and for socializing, and it’s good for you for the same reasons, so it’s wise to get into a good routine when it comes to leaving the house. Make sure you have a baby bag packed and ready to go by the door – all you’ll have to do is pick it up. Also, make sure that you have a good car seat to keep them safe if you’re traveling by car. Maxi Cosi is always a good option. What makes Maxi Cosi a world-renowned and award-winning baby car seat manufacturer is its excellent safety record, so you know you’ve made a good choice.
Bathing Your Baby
Just as with holding your baby and taking them out, new parents often find bathing their newborn a difficult, even scary, thing to do. It really doesn’t have to be, and the more you do it, the easier it will become.
The easiest way to handle bath time is to get everything you need ready in advance. Lay out the clean clothes and new diaper, make sure you have a towel ready, and ensure that all the shampoo and soap products (baby-safe ones, of course) are within reach. This way, once your baby is in the water, you won’t have to take them out again (to go and get something you forgot) until they are clean – never, ever leave them unattended in even the smallest amount of water.
