Parenting Tips For The First-time Mom.
Motherhood is a much-awaited stage for most women’s lives. Priorities change, letting go of some things that were a big deal in the past – fashion, shopping, partying, and friends. For some entering motherhood would mean entering the world of selflessness.
Have any idea why selflessness is an issue?
The primary reason is they are caught unprepared; worse, this bundle of joy isn’t welcomed at all (sad truth). As a result, we hear a lot of cases wherein mothers, most especially first-time moms, experience postpartum depression.
What do we mean when we say postpartum depression?
This is otherwise called as postnatal depression. This is caused by too much stress along with the hormonal changes that mothers experience. The most common reason is the lack of sleep and lack of emotional support from the husband or the partner.
Imagine a first-time mom obliged to shoulder all responsibilities in caring for the baby. We can really say that mothers, and becoming a first-time mom is really challenging and their heroic act of putting their lives on a critical situation just to welcome us in this world is truly an act of selflessness.
Having said this, to all mothers and fathers to be, it is a must for all of you to learn these important tips before that big day comes. Some may say, “I don’t want to be a mother,” “I don’t want to be a father.” The question is, don’t you have sisters, cousins, friends who might become mothers someday? Your little knowledge on parenting tips can become a life-saving knowledge for a first-time mom.
This is going to be a series of tips for first-time moms. Here are the first three tips I am going share with you all.
1. Holding Your Baby
Sounds simple right? Yes, it can be if this is your third or fourth child, but this is the most challenging skill to learn for first-time moms and dads. By merely looking at the very fragile body and soft skin of this little angel, you will surely feel scared and might even tremble while holding him.
The baby’s head and neck are the most delicate parts. We must ensure that when carrying, we should support his head and neck. Second, when trying to wake him up, we should never shake him. The best way to wake him up is by gently tickling the baby’s feet.
2. Diapering Your Baby
Diapering can be mastered through continuous practice. Well, you will get enough practice because this is something that you should do on a daily basis. In fact, your baby will most likely dirty his diapers around 10 times a day. Just make sure to clean his genital area everytime they poop. By the way, before you even start cleaning him, make sure you have everything you need ready in front of you- clean diaper, wash cloth or diaper wipes, lukewarm water and a petroleum jelly to be applied after cleaning his behind. Petroleum jelly will avoid him from getting rashes. In case rash occurs, don’t panic; there are a lot of over-the counter ointments that you can buy.
It is also advisable to set a specific time of the day wherein you let him move around without a diaper so that the skin will dry; thus, healing of rashes is faster.
3. Feeding Your Baby
Babies communicate their hunger through crying, making sucking noises, or sometimes they suck their fingers. If you are breast-feeding, you should breastfeed him 10-15 minutes each breast. If you are feeding him by bottle, the formula must be 2-3 ounces in every 2-3 hours.
Have you ever needed to burp but just couldn’t, uncomfortable isn’t it. Well babies don’t like that feeling either.
Inevitably, in the process of feeding him, they swallow air that can cause stomach upset. Of course, we don’t want to hear him crying in pain, right? Before this even happens, it is important that after every feeding, we should let the baby burp.
To burp your little bundle of joy do the following. Hold him/her upright and let their head rest on your shoulder. As mentioned on our #1 tip, proper holding is important when doing this.
Again, make sure his neck and head is support by your hand and slowly pat his back as well. Another way is by letting your baby rest on your lap in a sitting position. Second is to let him sit on your lap. Supporting his head and chin, cradle his chin using the palm of one of your hands and of which, the heel should rest on your baby’s chest. The other hand must gently pat his back.
Continue on to Parenting Tips for the first time mom Part II
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