Parents
A child’s birth is a celebrative occasion for parents. But many first-time parents develop unnecessary fears and doubts that they lack the knowledge and expertise to raise a child. Though some apprehension is natural as it is your first time, panic isn’t uncommon.
Raising a child is not a novel endeavor that requires special training. Your main objective is to ensure your baby stays healthy, so keep in touch with a physician during the early days of the child’s birth. Follow their guidelines for healthcare checkups and immunization vaccines.
In addition, you must learn to adjust to the newborn’s routine, fussy behavior, sleep cycle, feeding pattern, and other unusual demands. Keep your child as your priority and liberate yourself from other responsibilities for the time being.
Work on your emotional bonding with the child to understand their subtle signals. Observe a little bit of sophistication in your manner to pamper a delicate soul.
With that in mind, the following sections discuss some tips and precautions for first-time parents to ensure their child’s well-being.
Do not underestimate birth injuries
It is not the mother alone who experiences injuries and pain during labor; the child also goes through a traumatic experience. The resistance and pressure involved in childbirth can cause injury to the baby, the most common of which are scalp bruises and fractures. But adults have a speedy healing mechanism and more endurance than newborns. So if you went through complicated labor, stay in touch with your doctor.
Remember, birth injuries can both be fatal for the newborn and the mother. Keep your and your child’s health under strict monitoring during the early days of birth. Head to a doctor without delay if you notice unusual or warning signs.
Immediate access to experts and hospitals can save you and your child from severe childbirth healthcare complications. You can gain additional information from childbirthinjuries.com to avoid seeing your child suffer due to someone else’s negligence. Thus do not underestimate or overlook birth injuries.
Babies have weaker immunity
Babies do not have strong immunity right from birth. This is why the early few months are crucial for their well-being until they develop immunity and adjust.
They can fall sick even if you look after them 24/7. Thus mind that your baby will bother you with repeated visits to healthcare facilities now and then. But falling sick is also a part of their adjustment, so allow their system to develop and minimize their risk factors. Awareness of common healthcare issues in newborns and precautionary practices can redeem you from much trouble.
Monitor their health and do not delay consultation with a pediatrician if your baby falls sick. You must also observe hygiene practices to keep yourself and your baby clean. Sanitize your hands before tending to the baby’s needs.
And do not let anyone kiss, cuddle, or carry your baby without a proper sanitization ritual. In addition, maintain a healthy and hygienic environment inside your home to keep pathogens at bay. Use non-allergic and baby-friendly surface cleaners, sanitizers, and sprays.
If you’re taking your baby on a trip with the family, you should have travel essentials to keep your baby safe and comfortable throughout the trip. Exposing them to the environment outside, especially for the first time, can send their immune system to work. Although that helps with immunity development to some extent, remember that their immune system can only deal with so much.
Never be complacent when it comes to setting safeguards against environmental risks. On a trip, be sure to bring sanitizing bags, a thermometer, and baby medicine. Also, pack up convenient nutrient-dense baby veggie puffs and pouches such as those from Serenity Kids.
Be careful with bathing
Be cautious with your newborn’s hygiene rituals, especially the first bath after birth. Until your newborn’s umbilical cord is intact, prevent bathing. Water and skin care products can cause infection or irritation in the umbilical cord.
It is advisable to use a sponge bath than water to clean your baby until the umbilical cord falls off. Wipe them with a dry napkin or cloth after a sponge bath to prevent skin rashes and keep the navel area dry and clean. You can also use damp and sterilized tissues to clean their face, hands, neck, bottom, feet, and legs.
And once the umbilical cord falls off, you can use water, soap, and shampoo for bathing them two to three times a week. More frequent baths are also okay as long as your baby is comfortable. But remember that regular baths can increase skin dryness, so use moisturizing creams or oil all over the body after every bath.
Use baby-friendly bath and skin care products
Babies have delicate skin, so they need special hygiene care. It means you cannot use skin care products suitable for adults. Adult-use products have many chemicals like alcohol, fragrance, dyes, and preservatives, which are unsafe for newborns.
Thus choose baby-friendly products to prevent dermatological problems in your newborn. Some moisturizers, soaps, oils, shampoos, and powders are suitable for babies, but not every country has the same skincare and bathing brands. In such cases, the best approach is to refer to the chemical composition.
Read the description of the products in your reach and choose the ones with fewer or mild detergents and cleaning agents. It is much better if you can find organic and natural substitutes.
Distinguish their cries
Babies cry a lot in the early months of their birth. Their fussy time may extend to two to three hours per day in the first few months of childbirth. But their cries are not futile and irrelevant. Crying is a medium of their expression; they use distinct cries to tell their needs and intimate parents. For instance, their hunger cries differ from discomfort and a call for attention.
They will feel content once you fulfill their demands. But sometimes, they erupt in crying for no apparent reason. It is also okay if they can calm down after a while. Observe possible reasons for their agitation and put them to rest. Use cuddles, soothing words, or whatever diverts their attention.
But if such a crying routine persists and prolongs, discuss it with a pediatrician. Their cries might be an indication of a health issue.
Babies take short naps
Babies have an unusual sleep routine, unlike adults. It comprises several intervals of short naps throughout the day. Some spend more time resting, while others stress their parents with irritable sleep patterns. Thus many parents worry if their child is having sleeping problems.
But do not worry. Newborn babies can stay up for long at night than in the daytime. Their sleep becomes longer during the night and shorter in the daylight as they grow. But until then, they can wake in between their naps several times a day. And it is normal if they are wide awake at midnight or sound asleep in the daytime. As an estimate, their sleep duration varies from eight to eighteen hours in the 24-hour cycle.
So do not worry as long as your baby’s sleep duration falls within this bracket. You can consult a healthcare expert if their sleep pattern is worrisome and keeps your baby restless.
Babies need emotional attention
Newborns need undivided attention and care for better physical, emotional, and intellectual health and well-being. Otherwise, a lack of parental care, attentiveness, and affection hamper their growth and health. Many children also develop behavioral, social, and cognitive problems when they grow up without their parents’ attentive care.
In short, babies understand emotions even if they cannot talk or replicate them like adults. Their gazes, smiles, cries, gestures, and other facial expressions depict their state of mind and sentiments. They can also comprehend and distinguish your mild and unaffectionate touches, cuddles, kisses, and way of holding them.
Thus attend to them with affection and love. Make yourself available for your child all the time. Your time, attention, care, and love are essential for babies to achieve growth milestones.
Conclusion
Parenting is not an easy job, even for experienced parents. Some mistakes and mishaps are common while you raise a child for the first time. But prior know-how of what is acceptable and healthy while raising a baby can save you from headaches. Likewise, healthy bonding with your child helps you cater to their needs more attentively.
